Not So Different
by jab86
Summary: Disclaimer: I own nothing. "A Cinderella Story" is owned by Warner Brothers. This story was created and written by Ghostwriter and myself. No spoilers...Enjoy!
1. Opposites Attract

**Opposites Attract  
**

Sam Montgomery and her best friend, Carter Farrell walked through North Valley High School.

"So, what's the audition for?" Sam questioned.

"It's a commercial for a cleansing cream. I mean, it's not much, but…" Carter's voice trailed off as he shrugged.

"At least it's a part," Sam finished.

"Exactly," Carter confirmed.

"So, what's the line?" Sam wondered.

"'Anything is possible if you just believe'," Carter quoted.

"Well, if you don't get it, those people are nuts," Sam told him. He laughed.

"Thanks," he said.

"So, what character are you today?"

"I decided to go as myself."

"Great. It's your best look." They laughed again as they went to their lockers and got their books. Then, they headed for their first class. Meanwhile, Austin Ames was talking to his girlfriend, Shelby Cummings and their friends, David and Ryan, as well as some of Shelby's friends, Mandy and Karen as they walked down the hall.

"So, can you believe how boring Mr. Miller was yesterday?" Shelby queried. Mandy and Karen nodded and laughed in agreement.

"What are you guys talking about? I thought the discussion was great," Austin stated. "I mean, the symbolism alone with Tom Sawyer's adolescent charm and learning life lessons such as following your conscience making tough decision. Then there's Huckleberry Finn's role as the representative of the poverty of the time…it's classic," he continued.

"Well, I suppose, but I just don't see the point of it. It's just a stupid kids' book," Shelby stated.

"Yeah, I haven't even read that book since fifth grade," Mandy added. _Which is probably why you're failing the class_, Austin thought to himself. However, he didn't say anything.

"I actually like that book. I mean, the part where Tom tricks all of his friends into painting the fence for him, it's really ingenious," Ryan added.

"If you liked that part, you should've said something yesterday," Austin told him.

"But it wasn't deep. I would've sounded stupid," Ryan protested.

"No, I think he would've been happy that you were reading it," Austin corrected.

"Really?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, man," Austin answered. Ryan flashed a grateful grin at his friend. Maybe he'd say something later today. Carter and Sam were still talking and laughing as they approached the group.

"Uh-oh, geek alert," Karen said. Shelby and the others walked by and she knocked Sam's books out of her hand. Shelby, Karen, Mandy, and David laughed as Sam bent down to retrieve the books. Ryan chuckled softly, but looked over to Austin, who had lagged behind. He bit lip and followed the others

"Later, Diner Girl," David said.

"You need help?" Carter asked.

"No, go ahead. I'll get this," Sam answered, as she started gathering up her books, some of them textbooks, and some of them pleasure reading.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Carter headed for his class. _I don't believe this. Stupid, obnoxious, airheaded_…Sam's thoughts faded as she struggled to gather up her books. She had just managed to get the books into a stack and grabbed them. She struggled to rise and-dropped three of the texts. "Oh, I don't believe this," she sighed in frustration.

"Need a little help?" a voice asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Sam replied. _It's probably Carter or Terry_, she thought to herself. The person grabbed some of the books and handed them to her.

"Thanks," she said, finally looking up. Her jaw dropped. "Austin?"


	2. The First Meeting

**The First Meeting**

Sam couldn't help but stare at Austin in complete shock. _Oh my god! I can't  
Believe Austin Ames, is actually treating me with respect. Maybe, he's not who I thought he was. I mean, he is pretty cute_, she thought to herself.

"So, you know my name?" he questioned with a smirk. "I don't believe I know yours," he continued.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Sam...Sam. Sam Montgomery," she replied with a stutter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sam," he told her. "I'm sorry about, Shelby. She can be real  
pain in the neck."

"Yeah. Trust me, I know. It's not the first time I've dealt with her," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Once again, I'm sorry, for her immature behavior," Austin smiled. "So, you running late for a class or something?" he continued.

"Yeah, AP Chemistry. You?" she asked.

"Oh, wow, you hangin' with the big boys, huh?" Austin asked, feeling intrigued despite himself. "I'm in the AP English course," he continued. _Wow. She has real beautiful eyes. Why does everyone pick on her? I really can't stand it when Shelby and Ryan pick on people just because their different_, he thought to himself. "I'm hoping to get in to Princeton next year and become an English major," he told her, breaking out into a huge grin.

"Really? That's awesome! So, you want to be a writer or something?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah," Austin answered. "Unfortunately, not everyone encourages me in my passion to read and write for sport," he added with a shrug.

"What about your parents?" she asked, her attention growing by the second. Having an intelligent conversation with someone in high school other then Carter was a miracle.

"Well, it's not like that. He supports me, but his dream was for me to play college football," he responded.

"How do you feel about that?" she asked.

"It's not like I hate football or anything. But, you know, getting chased by a three-hundred pound lineman who'd as soon turn you into a pancake than take the ball from you isn't my idea of a promising career," he told her. Sam couldn't help the burst of laughter

"Yeah, I would say you made the right choice. Ha, ha!" _Who would've thought that Austin Ames would have a sense of humor?_ Then, the bell rang.

"Hey, do you want me to walk you to class?" Austin offered. _Please, say yes. Anything to get to know you more_, he silently pleaded.

"Sure, if you'd like to. I don't want to make you late for you're class, though," Sam answered.

"Oh, it's okay. I have an over one hundred percent in the class. I think I could afford to be late once or twice," Austin told her. Sam let out a giggle and nodded her head, Austin walking by her side, holding the books he picked up.

"Hey, you work at that diner down the street, right?" Austin asked, suddenly remembering where else he had seen her. Sam hesitated before answering.

"Yeah, since I was fourteen. My step-mom didn't start paying me until I turned sixteen,"

"Isn't that illegal?" Austin wondered.

"Very illegal," Sam replied. "But she could care less." _Wow, I can't believe I just told him all of that_, she thought to herself.

"Wow, it sounds like you have a pretty shaky home life," Austin commented, looking at her.

"Yeah, but I've gotten used to it," Sam told him. "Ever since my dad died I became the unofficial housekeeper/chef."

"That's horrible. I'm sorry you lost him. I can't even imagine what that'd be like." And he couldn't. Yeah, he and his dad argued, but he'd be devastated if anything happened to him. Sam looked down suddenly unsure of what to say. She couldn't believe she had told Austin about her dad like that. He touched her shoulder, and she looked back up at him with a half smile, reassuring him she wasn't upset.

"Thanks. Why does your dad want you to play college football so bad, anyway?" she queried as they arrived outside of her class. Yeah, she was going to be late, but she didn't want to go in until he answered.

"Well, it's a **big** family tradition," he answered.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. You see, my dad and uncle played at USC together and my grandpa used to be an assistant coach for quite some time," he replied.

"And he wants to keep the legacy going," she surmised.

"Exactly! Nothing would make me happier to make him proud and follow his dream," he stated. He sighed. "But that's just it. It's his dream **not** mine."

"I have a lot of respect for following your dreams and doing what you love. Not everyone gets to experience that." _He's smart and he's hot. Too bad, he's not single_...Sam mentally shook the thought away.

"Absolutely. Alright, Sam, it was great to meet you and I hope you won't be a stranger in the hallways." Sam smiled.

"I'll try not to. And thanks again. You've been really cool to me. I really appreciate it." They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. Was it possible that there was a spark between them? Finally, Sam broke the gaze and walked into the class with a smile. Austin walked down the hallway unsure how to feel about his experience with this girl everyone labeled a "nobody". But one thing was certain: there was definitely more to her than everybody thought.


	3. Friend Advice

**Friends Advice**

In his AP English class, Austin drummed his fingers on his desk. Usually, he had no problem paying attention, but he couldn't get the conversation he had with Sam out of his head. _How come Shelby and his other friends constantly made fun of her? She was attractive, sweet, and nice. There was no reason to treat her so coldly. Man, I really need someone to talk to_, he thought to himself. But who? Shelby was definitely out. There was no way she'd understand. Neither would David. That just left Ryan. Though he could be a bit dense at times, out of all of his friends, Ryan was the one he felt the closest to. _Yeah, I could talk to Ryan,_ Austin thought to himself.

"Mr. Ames?" the teacher queried.

"Yes, Ms. Coldweather?" Austin asked.

"Are you paying attention?" Ms. Coldweather demanded.

"No, Ma'am. I drifted. Sorry," he apologized. The woman let it go since Austin was usually an attentive student and seemed honestly contrite. Austin opened his notebook and began taking notes. Then, before he knew it, the class was over, and he headed over to his next class, which was a history class. Meanwhile, Sam had finished her chemistry class and was now in a history class. _Wow. I can't believe that Austin was so cool to me_, she thought to herself.

"Everyone remember who your partners are?" the teacher, Mr. Willis, asked suddenly.

"Yes," the class acknowledged. Sam gathered up her things and walked to where Astrid, a girl who dressed kind of grunge, was sitting.

"Hi," Sam greeted.

"'Sup'?" Astrid acknowledged.

"So-and I'm not trying to be nagging but-have you given any thought to our project?" Sam wondered.

"I always thought the 1929 Stock Market Crash was kinda cool," Astrid answered. _Hope she doesn't think I'm weird_, she thought to herself. She normally didn't care what people thought of her, but besides being nice, Sam was Carter's best friend, and the boy was so cute!

"Yeah, that sounds cool," Sam agreed. Astrid smiled and they began talking indistinctly, writing down notes and plotting out outlines. The next thing they knew, the bell had rung.

"Wow. I think we have a good start here," Sam commented in pride as they gathered up their things.

"Yeah," Astrid agreed. "You need help?"

"No, I've got it. Thanks." Then, "You?"

"Naw, I'm cool." The two girls said their goodbyes, and then parted ways. Sam grinned as Carter came up.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"Well, Astrid and I decided on a topic for our history class," she replied.

"Oh, yeah, what?"

"1929 Stock Market Crash and how it led to the Great Depression." Meanwhile, Austin had left his own class and was unusually quiet.

"Hey Bro, what's wrong?" Ryan questioned. "Your dad giving you a hard time about your writing again?" he continued.

"No, it's not that," Austin answered with a sigh. "It's just-do you know Sam Montgomery?" Ryan looked at him in confusion and shook his head. "A little shorter than Shelby, shoulder-length hair, very pretty," he continued.

"Oh, right! She works at Fiona's Diner," Ryan said with a snap of his fingers.

"Right," Austin confirmed.

"So, what about her?" Ryan asked.

"Well, we got to talking earlier, and get this: she's taking AP Chemistry," Austin said.

"Really?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, she understands my passion, she gets my jokes and actually listens to me," Austin continued.

"She sounds really cool, but what about Shelby?" Ryan wondered. Austin sighed.

"I don't know, man. Honestly, I'm not really happy with her. And that's not really fair to her, you know?"

"Yeah. I suppose you should do whatever makes you happy, bro. I mean, Shelby, isn't exactly the nicest girl in the world." Austin and Ryan continued to talk as they approached the lockers. As they did so, Austin looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Sam with her friend-Chris, Cader-he frowned, trying to think of the name. _Man, what's his name?_ he wondered. Feeling someone's gaze upon her, Sam turned to look to see who it was. _Huh. I guess I made a bigger impression than I thought_, she thought to herself. She was so busy looking at Carter, she didn't even notice that the boy next to her had his locker open. Suddenly, she ran into the locker, shutting it.

"Ow," she said.

"Ooooh," Ryan and Austin winced. _That had to hurt_, Austin thought to himself.

"Thanks," the boy said gratefully. _I was wondering how to close that with my arms full_, he thought. Austin and Ryan walked up to her.

"You okay?" Austin asked.

"Ow," Sam said again. _He must think I'm an idiot!_

"Here, let me take a look," Austin said, gently cupping her chin and turning it so that he was looking at the injured cheek. _Man, her skin feels so soft..._ "Well, it doesn't look so bad, but we should probably get a nurse to take a look at it," he continued.

"I agree," Carter agreed.

"And I'll run interference," Ryan offered. Confused, Austin turned to Ryan who pointed. Austin nodded in understanding when he saw Shelby. Then, he and Carter headed for the nurse's station as Ryan went to intercept Shelby.

"Shelby, what's happening?" Ryan asked.

"Where's Austin?" Shelby demanded.

"Well, you see…" As they walked towards the nurse's station, Carter glanced at Austin.

"I'm Carter by the way," he said.

"That's it!" the other boy exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "No offense man, but I was blanking."

"None taken." Once they reached the nurse's station, they explained what had happened and the woman took a look at the cheek, perusing it and gently feeling it.

"Well, I don't see or feel any bruising, but I'd suggest you keep an eye on it just in case," she said. They nodded and then walked back to their classes. After school, Carter and Sam went to Fiona's Diner where she told them about her day as she worked. One of the regulars, Chuck, half listened as he ate.

"Well, it sounds like somebody's smitten," Rhonda teased.

"Rhonda, it's not like that," Sam protested. "It was just-nice to see that he isn't a big of a jerk as his girlfriend," she continued. Then, "And speaking of girlfriends, Carter, I've been noticing Astrid looking at you."

"Oh, she's okay. But she's no Shelby." Sam let out a frustrated groan.

"Carter, trust me. You can do so much better than Shelby Cummings."

"And you think Astrid is better?"

"At least she treats people like they're actually human beings!" The door opened and Austin, Shelby, Ryan, Mandy, David, and Karen walked in and sat down. As the others looked at the menu, Austin glanced at Sam, who was talking with some of the other workers and a customer. She caught his glance and smiled in his direction, a gesture that he returned.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to get a zone meal here?" Shelby complained.

"I already ate," Mandy announced.

"Mandy, a rice cake and a saltine, do not count," David told her. Austin and Ryan hid a laugh.

"You're so bad," Karen chided. Ryan looked at his own menu and then made a face.

"Ew. Sushi and doughnuts? Who does that?" he asked.

"I guess it works if you can't decide between protein and a sugar rush," Austin quipped. Ryan laughed as the others just stared at them in confusion. Austin took the chance to smile at Sam. Shelby loudly snapped her fingers.

"Waitress! Waitress!" she called, repeating the actions.

"Uh, Shelby. That's not going to make her come any faster, and that's really annoying," Ryan told her. _Geez. Maybe, Austin, was right about her._

"Shut up, Ryan," Shelby snapped. "Waitress! Hello! We're ready to order now!" she called. Sam rolled her eyes.

"Duty calls," she sighed and walked up to their table, pencil poised above her order pad.


	4. Time Of Change

**Time Of Change**

"Well, if it isn't Diner Girl," Shelby said rudely. Everyone except Austin and Ryan started laughing as Sam glared at her.

"What can I get you guys?" Sam asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"What can I get here that has no sugar, no carbs and is fat-free?" Shelby queried.

"Water," Sam replied mimicking the condescending tone. Her quick comeback caused Austin and Ryan to laugh. _Good one_, Ryan thought and discreetly sent her a thumbs' up.

"Water? Feisty," David added. "Austin, is there a reason why you and Ryan are laughing?" Shelby demanded. Really! This little nobody made fun of her and they were laughing?

"It was funny," Austin told her. He composed himself and found himself intoxicated with Sam's gorgeous hazel eyes. Sam continued taking Shelby's order. "I'll have a Voss," Shelby finally said.

"Excuse me?" Sam asked, turning her head in confusion.

"It's water. From Norway," Karen added. Really, _what an idiot_, she thought to looked up at Sam, rolling his eyes and he and Ryan gave her comforting smiles. Definitely leaving her a tip, Austin thought to himself.

"Sorry, we only have water from the Valley," Sam replied defensively.

"Well, fine. I'll just have an ice tea," Shelby asked. Sam wrote down the order.

"Sam, could I have a regular Coke?" Ryan requested. Without missing a beat, she nodded and added the item to the list.

"Sam, nothing for me. Thank you," added Austin.

"Make that two iced teas, Diner Girl. Plus, I'm still waiting on that breakfast burrito I ordered a few days ago," David said. Everyone except Austin and Ryan began laughing as she turned around and walked away in disgust. Then and there, Austin decided that he'd had just enough of Shelby's shenanigans.

"She is so not getting a tip," Shelby declared. "I mean, really! Who does she think she is for talking to me the way she did?" Shelby asked with a sniff. _Okay, time to drop you like a bad habit_, Austin thought to himself.

"Shelby, we really need to talk. Privately," he stated. _There's no need for an audience for this_, he thought.

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say it in front of my Peeps," Shelby told him. _Did she seriously just use the word 'Peeps'?_ Ryan wondered. Everyone around the table leaned in closer, curios as to what Austin was going to say.

"Okay," Austin agreed. _You asked for it, Shelby!_ he thought. "I wanna break up." Her confident smile instantly disappeared and Karen and Mandy's jaws hit the table.

"What?" she cried. "Are you in love with somebody else?" she demanded, not giving him a chance to answer. "That's none of your business," he told her. "I'm just tired having to defend you when you treat everyone like they owe you something. And you know what? I don't think I wanna have anything else to do with you," he continued. Ryan and David's eyes doubled in size, but for different reasons. _Way to go, Bro. That's tellin' her_, Ryan thought to himself, and discreetly nudged Austin's shoulder, letting him know that he had his friend's back. _What the heck! Is he crazy? Why's he breaking up with her?_ David wondered. Although with Austin out of the running, Shelby would probably hook up with him. He glanced at the girl, who seemed to be floundering for something to say.

"Now, you listen to me mister-" she finally managed to say.

"No, Shelby, this conversation and relationship is finished," he interrupted. The table went silent for a few moments while Shelby pondered a way to counter Austin's rant.

Meanwhile, Sam was at the counter preparing their iced teas and Coke when Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna walked in. "Sam, I'm going to need you to work the night shift tomorrow after you do your daily chores at home," Fiona announced without preamble. _What? Is she serious?_ the girl wondered.

"Um…but tomorrow night is my only day off this week and it's also the homecoming dance," she said out loud. Fiona let out an exasperated breath as if they had had the conversation a million times.

"Sam, you need to stop being so selfish and start thinking of others like me and your sisters," she criticized. _Well, obviously, __whatever minerals for brains that are supposed to be in Salmon bounced right out of her head_, Sam thought to herself as she poured the coke into a glass.

"Sam, we're still waiting on our book reports too," Gabriella added.

"Yeah, when are they going to be finished? I get so nervous when I have to wait for it," Brianna interjected with a whine. Sam turned her attention to her stepsisters and gave them a disapproving glare.

"Imagine if you actually had to read the book and write it," she shot back. _Her head would probably explode before she finished the first sentence_, she thought.

"Now, girls no fighting or you're going to cause Sam to do more chores to work off the stress," Fiona told them. Sam rolled her eyes and didn't even bother deigning the comment with a response. "Just plan on working tomorrow or I won't pay you this week," she continued. _Not like you ever do_, Sam thought. Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna didn't stay long, but Fiona took enough time to go over to the cash register and take out what money was in there. As her step-family left, Sam was bumped by Shelby and gang causing her to fall down. Rhonda rushed from behind the counter to make sure she wasn't injured. One of the waitresses, Eleanor, started for them, only to have the chef, Bobby, grab her arm and shake his head.

"Sam, are you okay?" Rhonda asked helping her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't stand those girls," Sam replied with a small sigh.

"So, what did your IQ of 10 step-family have to say?" Rhonda wondered.

"I have to work tomorrow night," Sam answered. She let out a frustrated cry. "It's not fair! It was my only day off and it's the big dance," she continued. Rhonda was about to respond when someone interrupted her.

"Sam?" She turned around to see Austin. He rubbed the side of his neck nervously and looked over to Ryan who made "Go for it!" gestures. "Would you be interested in going to the dance with me tomorrow? I mean, if you don't have other plans," he invited. Sam's eyes bulged out of her head and her jaw fell to the floor. She couldn't believe this was happening! Austin was asking her out? She looked to Rhonda for advice.

"Well, young man, she does have to work tomorrow night, but I guess I could be a nice boss and let her have the night off," the woman said and Sam broke out into a smile.

"Um…sure, Austin. I mean, yes. I would love to go with you," she replied nervously.

"Great! I'll pick you up at nine?" he asked.

"That'll be fine," Rhonda interrupted. "You'll have to pick her up from my house, though," she added. Sam turned her head in surprise.

"Sure, that's fine," Austin agreed. Sam wrote something down on the order pad. While this was going on, Eleanor dumped the ice teas and put the glasses in the dishwasher as Rhonda took the Coke and put it in a to-go cup, which she placed on the counter.

"Here's my cell phone number. I'll give you directions to her house," she told him, handing him the paper.

"Awesome. I'll see ya then," he agreed. Ryan approached them, took out some money, and offered it to her.

"No, it's cool," Sam assured. "Take it. You deserve it," Ryan insisted. Sam took the money and then handed Ryan his drink. Then, he followed Austin who walked past Sam with a childish grin and strutted out the entrance.


	5. Costume Searches

**COSTUME SEARCHES**

When her shift was finally over, Sam walked over to Rhonda.

"Rhonda, what am I going to do? I don't have a costume," she said. Rhonda was about to answer when the door burst open.

"Have no fear, Zorro is here," Carter announced. "At least, he will be tomorrow night," he added, holding up the bag with his costume. Sam laughed.

"Carter, you're crazy," she told him. Then, "Rhonda, you were about to say something?"

"Come on. Let's go to Vernon's. I'm sure he'll have something," the woman said. "You comin', Zorro?" With that, Rhonda, Carter, and Sam left the diner and drove to Vernon's Costume Shop. Once there, they walked in and immediately started looking through the costumes. Sam tried on a hula girl outfit, a Knight Of The Roundtable costume which was really just a metal suit of armor, a Porky Pig suit, and a nun's habit.

"Rhonda, this is hopeless," Sam complained.

"How 'bout this one?" Carter asked, holding up an outfit that consisted of tan pants, a fedora, and a green-and-red sweater.

"Carter, I'm going to the dance with Austin! And I'm a girl! There is no way that I'm going to go as Freddy Krueger!" Sam told him.

"Sorry," Carter apologized, putting the costume away. Then, "You're going with Austin? When did this happen?"

"Earlier at the diner. He broke up with Shelby and then asked me," Sam answered. _Wow. I still have trouble believing that._

"That's awesome," Carter told her. Their hunt for a costume continued. However, Sam was unable to find one that she liked.

"Rhonda, maybe we should just forget it. I mean, I can't find anything," she complained as they walked to the front desk.

"Wait a minute. Vernon, let me see this mask," Rhonda requested, tapping the glass. Vernon opened up the case and handed her the glittering white mask.

"I…don't have an outfit that goes with that," he stated apologetically.

"That's okay. I do," Rhonda assured him. They paid for the mask and then drove back to Rhonda's house, where Rhonda led Sam and Carter to her bedroom. The two teens waited patiently on the edge of the bed as the woman pulled out a box and then sat between them.

"I was going to save this for my next attempt down the aisle, but…I think you need it more," Rhonda stated, opening the box. Sam gasped.

"Oh, Rhonda. It's gorgeous," she said. "There's no way I could possibly wear this," she objected.

"Sam, it's been in that box for so long that it deserves a night out," the other woman replied.

"Austin's going to love it," Carter predicted.

"Well, if you're sure…" Sam hesitated.

"I'm sure," Rhonda answered. "I'll make the alterations and it'll be ready in no time flat," she assured. Sam laughed and Carter hugged her.

Meanwhile, Austin and Ryan were at a costume shop, searching for their own outfits.

"So, that was quite a stir you created," Ryan commented.

"Yeah, I know," Austin agreed. "But Shelby just made me so mad! And I tried to break up with her in private, but she was the one who wanted to talk in front of her 'peeps'," he continued, making quotation marks with his fingers.

"I cannot believe she actually said that," Ryan chuckled. Then, "Dude! Check this out! It's perfect for you!" Austin followed his friend's gaze to see a Prince Charming outfit.

"Prince Charming?" he asked.

"Yeah, man. It's romantic. Perfect for a masquerade dance," the other boy told him.

"Dude, you never cease to amaze me," he said. They chuckled. Ryan looked around aimlessly.

"Hey, what about this for me?" he asked, showing his friend a costume that consisted of a red-and-green sweater, a fedora, and tan pants.

"Dude, it's a school-sanctioned party. I highly doubt they'll let you in dressed as Freddy Krueger," Austin told him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ryan agreed, and continued looking. "Hey, Knight Of The Roundtable!" he exclaimed, seeing a suit of armor.

"Yeah, I can see you in that." The boys grinned, made their purchases, and then left. Meanwhile, Gabriella and Brianna were in Gabriella's room, discussing costumes.

"So, we want something that'll knock everybody's socks, off, right?" Gabriella queried.

"Right," Brianna agreed.

"And we want to win that contest, right?"

"Right."

"So, there's only one type of costume we should get."

"Siamese twins?" Gabriella let out a disgusted sigh and dropped her head in her hands. Honestly, how stupid can she get? she wondered.

"No, you idiot! We go as something cool! Like Wonder Woman or something!" she exclaimed.

"How can there be two Wonder Women?" her sister asked. She let out a cry of rage. I give up, she thought flopping backwards on her bed. There was no way shecould make Brianna understand. But there had to be something she could do to get Austin's attention. Austin. He was **sooooo** cute. Gabriella smiled as she let herself be immersed in visions of Austin coming up to her and whisking her around the dance floor. She would win Austin's heart, and no one would stand in her way.


	6. Tonight's The Night

**Tonight's The Night**

Sam locked herself in the bathroom and stared at Rhonda's dress, which had been altered. Pacing back and forth, she bit her bottom lip, pondering if she was still willing go through with actually going to the dance. After all, what about her step-family? If they found out, they'd kill her. And then bring her back to clean up the mess. _I can do this. I'll feel a lot better once I'm wearing it_, she thought to herself.

"Sam? Is everything alright in there?" Rhonda asked, knocking on the door.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need a few more minutes," Sam assured. _Okay, it's time to just do it! _she thought to herself. Then, the doorbell rang. "Rhonda, if that's Austin, tell him I'll be right there."

"Okay." Rhonda ran to the door to let Austin in, but when she opened the door, she didn't see Austin, but Carter dressed as Zorro.

"Have no fear! Zorro is here!"

"Zorro, get your dorky butt in here, right now." Rhonda grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in quickly. "Now, isn't the time for jokes. Sam is nervous enough."

"Okay, sorry." Rhonda looked up the stairs.

"Sam? Are you almost ready?" she yelled, but received no answer.

"Guess not," Carter said. "What time is Austin supposed to be here?" Just as he finished asking the question, the doorbell rang

"My guess is right about now," Rhonda replied sarcastically. "Can you let him in so I can check on Sam?" _I really hope that girl is ready_.

"Sure, no problem." As Rhonda hurried upstairs, Carter walked over to the front door and opened it. "Hey, dude. Come on in. Sam isn't quite ready, yet." As he said this, Austin walked in dressed as Prince Charming holding a corsage.

"You're Carter, right?" Austin asked, squinting his eyes at the other boy. _I** really** need to learn this guy's name_, he thought to himself.  
"Yeah," Carter replied. "I know you probably wanted to be alone with Sam since this is a date, but I hope you don't mind me catching a ride with you guys," he continued. _There's nothing worse then being the third wheel_, he thought to himself. Plus, he didn't want to embarrass his friend by tagging along with them.

"Not at all. It's all good, my friend." Any friend of Sam's was a friend of his, and it made sense for them all to ride down together.

"Okay, thanks." Rhonda came running down the stairs with a huge grin on her face.

"Mr. Austin, you are in for a real treat tonight," she announced._ That sounds promising_, the boy thought to himself. "Sam? Sam Montgomery Get your cute butt down here!" she yelled, causing the boys to grin widely. Their attention turned to the stairs. Austin's heart began pounding out of his chest. The anticipation was almost too much to handle. After a short delay, she began her slow walk down the stairs. Everything seem to be moving in slow motion as she made her descent to the living room. Once she became visible, Austin wasn't able to take his eyes off her. His jaw fell open in shock of how beautiful she looked. Sam was wearing a white wedding dress along with a matching mask which looked like it had come from the costume store. The mask made her eyes look even more breathtaking. _Whoa_, he thought to himself as Sam reached the bottom of the stairs. She then turned her attention to Carter only to see an identical reaction. He was completely blown away. _What a hottie!_ Carter thought.

"Wow! Sam, you...you look amazing," he managed to say. She smiled in embarrassment.

"Thanks, Austin."

"Austin, I expect her to be back at the diner around midnight. Her step-mom is a pain in the butt."

"Alright, no problem, Rhonda." He turned to the girl. "Well, Sam, are you ready to go to dinner?" She looked at him in confusion.

"What about the dance?" She asked.

"Oh, we're still going. But I thought this way we could have a little bit of time to ourselves without having to worry about the other kids." Sam nodded. That made sense.

"That sounds great. Where are we going?"

"I made reservations at the steak house down the street from the school."

"Oh, wow. That place is expensive. If you need me to help pay for it, I will." Austin shook his head in amusement.

"Nonsense, Sam, **I'll** take care of everything this evening." Then, "Oh, before I forget, here is your corsage." He took the corsage out of the box and placed it around her wrist. He grinned when he saw that it was a perfect fit. Rhonda and Carter smiled at them with approval. _I hope she likes it_, the boy thought to himself. He had been so nervous that he had asked for his mother's advice. Rhonda whistled.

"Damn, girl! Looks like you found yourself a keeper." Austin grinned.

"Oh, Austin, it's so beautiful! It even matches the dress!" Sam could feel her face starting to flush. How did she get so lucky?

"You two better behave, tonight. And have a great time." Sam turned around and gave Rhonda a big hug, whispering thank you in her ear.

"Alright, Carter, let's go if we're going to drop you off at the dance on the way." Carter nodded. Sam and Austin walked hand and hand out to his car. Austin opened the car door for her, and then waited for her to make sure that every part of her dress was inside the car before closing the door to keep the  
fabric from getting caught. Carter nodded in approval. Austin was acting like a true gentleman. Carter got in the back and Austin got into the drivers seat. With a smile, Rhonda watched them drive down the street; hoping things go Sam's way for a change.


	7. Date Night Part 1

**Date Night Part 1**

Carter waited until the car had stopped and then got out and headed into the school gymnasium. Once inside, he went straight to the punch bowl, where he poured himself a cup.

"Yo, Zorro! Lookin' good!" a voice cried. Carter turned around to see someone in a suit of armor.

"Why thank you, Sir Knight," he responded. _Who is this?_ he wondered. The knight lifted up the flap so that Carter could see his face.

"Yo, I know I never introduced myself, but I'm Austin's friend Ryan," he said.

"Carter," came the response.

"Nice to meet you."

"You too." As the two continued to talk, Shelby, Mandy, and Karen sauntered in, dressed as angels. They struck poses and checked their makeup. Ryan looked at Carter, who was staring at Shelby longingly.

"Dude, trust me, she's so not worth the drama," he told the other boy, getting himself a cup of punch. "You need someone with personality," he continued.

"Shelby's got personality," Carter defended.

"Not a good one," Ryan retorted. "You need someone like…" he trailed off, looking around. His eyes locked onto the DJ "**Her**," he finished, pointing.

"What is it with people trying to pair me up with Astrid?" Carter wondered.

"Come on, man. You've heard her do announcements. She's hilarious," Ryan insisted. Carter smiled. "Yeah, she **was** pretty funny." _Huh. Me and Astrid_, he thought to himself as he turned to look at the girl. He had to admit, she wasn't bad-looking. From her spot on the floor, Astrid suddenly felt somebody's gaze on her. Curious, she started looking around. Then, she noticed someone by the punch pool. _Huh. Zorro. Cool choice_, she thought to herself. Then, _Is that Carter Farrel? Is he actually looking at me?_ Her heart leapt. She couldn't believe it. _It couldn't be!_ Carter was so hung up on Shelby that he barely knew that she existed. And yet…he was staring right at her! While this was going on, David had approached Shelby.

"Shelby, Babe, lookin' good," he told her.

"Whatever," she sighed. "Have you seen Austin?"

"Nope. And he should've been by now. I mean, this party is off the hook!" Shelby stared at the boy.

"David, you're an idiot," she told him.

"What did you just say to me?" he demanded angrily.

"I said you're an idiot! No one can believe half of the things you say!"

"Who do you think you are talking to me like that?" Shelby gasped as David grabbed her.

"That looks bad," Carter noted.

"Yeah," Ryan nodded and they hurried towards them. Seeing the two boys hurry away from the punch bowl, Astrid followed their gaze to see Shelby trying to escape David's grasp.

"Yikes," she muttered. _That's not good_, she thought to herself.

"David, what the heck you doin', man?" Ryan demanded, shoving his friend back.

"You okay?" Carter asked, gently perusing her face to check for bruises.

"Yeah," Shelby nodded, staring into the mask. _Wow. I just got saved by a masked man_, she thought to herself. It was like a fairytale. _I wonder who he is_, she silently mused. Astrid looked away from the scene. _Figures. It's not like she knows it's actually Carter,_ the girl thought to herself. Meanwhile, at Pierre's Steak House, Austin and Sam had been seated in a back corner.

"Wow. I can't believe this," Sam breathed.

"What?" Austin asked.

"I'm in a beautiful gown and I'm on a date with the most popular guy at school who's actually deeper than anyone ever gave him credit for," Sam answered. Austin laughed.

"Man, you're too much," he stated. Just then, a woman came up to them.

"Hello, I'm Anna and I'll be your server this evening," she told them. _Oooh, rough night_, Sam thought, hearing a slight edge in the woman's voice. She looked up at her, making sure that their eyes locked.

"If it's not too much trouble, we're going to need a few more minutes," she told her, giving her a sympathetic smile. Anna nodded.

"That'll be fine. Would you two like something to drink first?" she queried.

"May I have some regular water?" Sam requested.

"Me too," Austin interjected.

"Regular, as in from the Valley?" Anna asked.

"Oh, yeah, I hear that it's so much better than the Voss from Norway," Sam responded. Austin and Anna laughed.

"You're all right, kid," Anna stated. "I'll be right back with your waters," she assured them and walked off. Austin chuckled.

"That was great," he told her.

"Well, I know what it's like to have a rough shift," came the reply.

"If I've never apologized for Shelby and David-" he started to say.

"Oh, please. You think they're the only ones who give me flack?" she interrupted. "I just don't listen to them. Rhonda, Bobby, and Eleanor won't let me," she continued with a laugh. Then, "So, what here is good?" Austin recognized the change of topic and let his gaze fall to the menu.

"Well, I always liked the steak combo. It comes with mashed potatoes, rice, and corn," he answered.

"Oooh, that **does** sound good," the girl stated. "I think I'll get that along with a chocolate shake," she continued.

"I like a girl with a hearty appetite," he told her. They laughed and Anna walked back.

"Are you ready, or do you need more time?" she questioned.

"No, I think we're ready," Austin answered. Then, "Sam, do you mind if I order for us?"

"No, go ahead," Sam encouraged.

"All right," Austin said. "We'll both have a steak combo, one chocolate shake…**two** straws," he continued. Sam let out a small exclamation and Anna gave Sam a wink.

"Coming right up," she promised and then walked away.

"And when did I say I was sharing my chocolate shake with you?" Sam demanded playfully.

"Now see, you've got it all wrong. I'm ordering the chocolate shake and then sharing it with you," Austin corrected. He laughed as Sam threw her napkin at him. She shook her head. This night was going to be fun. She could tell.


	8. Date Night Part 2

**Date Night Part 2**

"Thanks for the extra napkin, Sam," Austin said after picking the napkin up from his lap.

"Well, that's what you get for assuming you're going to get any of my shake," Sam told him.

"Trust me, you'll get most of it," Austin assured. "I just want a fair portion of it," he added after a beat. They exchanged smiles.

"So, have you ever taken Shelby here before?" She asked, smirking at Austin so that he knew that she was merely curious. Austin smiled.

"No, but she kept asking why I never took her here," he replied. Sam nodded.

"So how come you didn't?" she wondered.

"A few reasons," he replied. "I mean, for one thing, she didn't deserve it. And even if she did, she probably wouldn't even appreciate it because of her "diet". Plus, she's never been polite to any of the restaurant staff at any other place I took her," he continued.

"I can definitely vouch for the third reason," Sam said with a smile.

"Yeah, which I witnessed," Austin recalled with an apologetic shrug, and Sam just dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

"Sam, have you ever wanted something so bad that it's all you can think about?" he asked. Sam's face lit up right away.

"Of course. Who hasn't?" she responded.

"I know, but I'm talking about dreaming of something and wanting it to become true."

"Yeah, that's what I meant." Seeing his confused look, she decided to elaborate. "Ever since my dad passed away I've dreamed of going to Princeton University."

"Why?"

"Well, it's kind of stupid but he used to tell me that I was a princess who deserved a prince, which I could only find at Princeton. Though, over the years I did find other reasons that attracted me to Princeton." Realizing what she had just said, Sam giggled in embarrassment. _He must think I'm a major dork_, she thought to herself. "You must think I'm acting like a 10 year old." Austin shook his head. I've **got** to talk to her about her self-confidence, he mused.

"No, not at all. Where would people be if they didn't have any dreams? I admire anyone who has slight idea of what they want from life. Most of the people in this world don't have a clue." He took a sip of his water and cleared his throat.

"I know you mentioned Princeton a few days ago didn't know you?"

"Yeah, I did. I actually sent my application off little over a month ago."

"Oh really? That's about when I did mine as well." They laughed and Sam continued. "Wouldn't be crazy if we both got in?" Austin eyes lit up.

"Yeah, that would be awesome!" Then, "But let's not jinx it, though. I tend to have bad luck when I get my hopes up." Sam nodded, indicating that she understood.

"I know what you mean. I've trained myself not to get too excited until I know for sure." Austin frowned as if just realizing something.

"That's kind of sad, Sam. In a way we'll never have anything to look forward to. I mean, I understand why we do it, but life isn't always about let downs."

"Well, **I** **do** have one thing to look forward to, right now," she said, flashing Austin a grin.

"Yeah, what's that?" he queried, intrigued. Sam gestured for him to turn around. He did so to see that Anna was on her way to the table with their meals. As she approached them, they straightened up and leaned back to give her room.

"Okay, folks. I have two steak combos," she announced, placing the first plate in front of Sam and then the second in front of Austin. "And... we have the chocolate shake with...**two** straws." They both laughed as she placed the shake in the middle of the table. "Alright, kiddos, is there anything else I can get you at this moment?" They looked at each other for moment and back at Anna, and then shook their heads.

"No, we're good. Thank you!" they both replied. Anna smiled and walked away to attend the rest of her section. As she did so, one of her fellow waiters came up to her.

"You seem to be in a better mood," he noted.

"I am," she confirmed. "You know Jack, it's kids like those two that makes this job bearable," she continued and then went off to another table. Back at their own table, Sam and Austin stared at their food.

"Wow, this looks incredible, Austin," Sam breathed.

"I know. This doesn't even seem real," Austin agreed. They quickly cut their steaks and began eating. After a while, Austin took the chocolate shake. "Sam, would you like to take a sip with me?" he questioned. With a big smile, she moved her plate out of the way and leaned in toward her straw.

"Let's start on three," Sam suggested.

"Okay," Austin agreed.

"One…" Sam counted and they grabbed their straws.

"Two…" Austin continued, as they brought the straws to their lips.

"Three," they finished, and began drinking the shake. Even though it tasted incredible, neither of the teens really tasted it. Austin couldn't stop staring into Sam's eyes and Sam found herself lost in Austin's smile rather then the whip cream, chocolate and slight taste of the cherry on top. It was already a night to remember and it hadn't even began.


	9. On To The Dance

**On To The Dance**

Meanwhile, at the dance, Carter and Ryan were once again talking. Actually, Carter was talking, and Ryan was listening.

"I can't believe Shelby asked me to hook up with her!" Carter exclaimed.

"Dude, get over her. You deserve so much better than a random hook up," Ryan responded.

"Maybe it'll lead to something more," Carter defended.

"They hardly do," Ryan told him.

"Why are you messin' me up, man?" Carter wondered. Ryan just shook his head. While this was going on, Brianna and Gabriella came out.

"I don't believe this! I can't believe I left you in charge of costumes!" Gabriella fumed. "I told you Siamese Cats, not…Siamese Twins!"

"Are we having a cat fight?" Brianna wondered. Gabriella just rolled her eyes. Astrid ignored the conversations around her and continued to man the music. She glanced up at Carter who was talking with Ryan. She saw them point to Shelby and then sighed. _Maybe I should just give up on him. I mean, he's so hung up on Shelby, he'll never notice another girl_, she thought to herself. _No way. I can't give up. He'll notice me someday_, her thought continued as she looked around. Weird. I haven't even seen Austin or Sam, she noted. Presently, Carter came up.

"Hey, Astrid," he greeted.

"Hi, Carter," she responded, trying stop the sudden fluttering in her stomach. "Cool costume. I love Zorro," she continued.

"Thanks," he responded. "Love the punk chic."

"Thanks." Then, "So, where's Austin and Sam?"

"On a date."

"What! No way!" _Who would of thought!_

"Yeah." _I hope their date is going well._

"Whoa. So he finally dumped the she-devil, huh?" Carter shot her a look. _Seriously, why does everyone hate Shelby so much? There was good in her…somewhere._ While this was going on, Sam and Austin had left the restaurant, and were heading to the dance.

"Thanks for a great time, Austin."_ I'm so full from that steak dinner!_

"No problem. I think Anna had a good night too."

"I'll say. Did you see her face when she saw our tip?" _I would say 50 percent was pretty reasonable. _They laughed.

"You know, this is a pretty nice car for a Mercedes Benz," Sam commented.

"Not a fan of Benz?" Austin asked. Sam winced. _Way to go, stupid. You had to diss his car_, she berated.

"Well, I mean, they're okay, but I still prefer classics," she said out loud.

"You mean, like that awesome 1960s Mustang you have?"

"Yeah."

"Now that car is sweet. How'd you get it?" Austin wondered.

"It was my dad's," Sam replied. Austin nervously rubbed the back of his neck. _Way to go, dunce. Bring back the bad memories_, he chided.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to-" he apologized. _What were you thinking?_

"You didn't," Sam assured him. Then, "What made you decide to get a van?"

"I'm not big on these kind of cars either, but my dad wanted to get me one that really expensive and it came down to this or a stupid-looking Lexus," Austin replied. Then, "So, you ready to go to the dance?" _Man, she looks so nervous._

"What if they don't like me?" Sam asked. He looked to the girl. She was amazing, beautiful, incredible, but also worried about being accepted.

"Look, I became interested in you because of your personality. I don't care what everybody else says," he told her. "Trust me, this going to be a night you won't ever forget."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," she agreed. "I mean, Carter likes you," she continued.

"He does?" he asked in relief. _I don't even know his name half the time._

"Were you **that** worried?" she questioned.

"Of course! He's your best friend! His is the most important opinion…next to Rhonda's," he answered.

"Louie, I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Sam stated.

"I love Casablanca," Austin grinned. Sam laughed. When they finally reached the school, Austin parked his car, and then went over to the passenger's side to open the door for Sam. Then, he took her by the arm and together, they walked into the entrance. _Here we go_, Sam thought to herself. Austin squeezed her arm reassuringly and she flashed him a grateful smile. There were exclamations of surprise as they walked in. Carter was still talking Ryan's ear off until he noticed Sam and Austin's grand entrance. _Wow. They look good together_, Carter thought to himself with a smile. Hearing the commotion, Shelby turned around. Then, her jaw dropped.

"Austin?" she asked in hurt shock. _Who's that girl he's with?_


	10. The Dance Part 1

**The Dance Part 1**

Even with the music was playing, the students of North Valley High School took a second to watch Sam and Austin walk down the stairs, everyone, but Carter and Ryan wondering who the beautiful girl was. _Who is she? What's Austin doing with her?_ Shelby wondered, feeling a stab of jealousy. That was supposed to be **her** on Austin's arm. She had planned her entire high school social life around this moment, and now this girl had stolen it from her. Astrid's mouth fell open as they entered the gym. _Wow. Sam looks so beautiful. They look so good together. I'm glad he dumped what's her face_, she thought. Sam bit her lip nervously, feeling uncomfortable with the stares, but Austin gave her hand a quick reassuring squeeze. _Damn! Sam looks hot! Way to go Austin!_ Ryan thought. Though Carter had already seen Sam earlier, he was still stunned at how gorgeous she looked. Ryan and Carter's eyes were the size of grape fruits as Sam and Austin approached them.

"Sam, you look amazing, tonight," Carter noted.

"Thanks, Carter," Sam replied shyly.

"Wow," Ryan said, giving the girl the once-over. Austin smiled but felt himself becoming a little jealous.

"Hey, that's my girl you're talking about," Austin warned half-seriously. Then, they both laughed.

"Thanks, Ryan. You don't look too bad yourself," she told him with a giggle rapping on his Knight Of The Roundtable costume.

"Yeah, I saw it in the costume shop and knew it was perfect," Ryan commented. Sam smiled. Austin then turned his attention back to Sam.

"Can I get you some punch or anything?"

"No, I think I'll be okay, Austin. Thank you." Ryan grinned, but the smile fell as he realized something.

"Sam, do you mind if I borrow Austin for a second? I have something I need to talk to him about," he stated.

"Sure, behave you two," she responded with a giggle and they walked over to the punch table. _I wonder what he needs to tell Austin_, she thought. Sam looked over near where the DJ table to see Astrid.

"Carter, are you going to ask Astrid to dance or what?" Carter looked over at her and then back at Sam.

"What? You mean, tonight?"

"Well, that'd probably be ideal seeing as how we are at a dance tonight."

"I-I can't. She's busy handling the music."

"Carter, she's been staring at you all this time whenever you're not looking." Carter rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right. You're probably making it up."

"I just saw her do it a few minutes ago." Recognizing the certainty in Sam's voice, Carter looked back over at her to see if he could catch her staring at him. Of course, no dice. However, that didn't stop him from trying and Sam couldn't help but laugh as the game of eye-tag continued for the next minutes. Meanwhile, Ryan was talking with Austin as they drank their punch.

"Dude, I'm not sure what Shelby's going to do. I mean, she didn't look happy when you came in." Austin sighed and rolled his eyes.

"To be honest with you, I don't really care what Shelby thinks. As far as I'm concerned, she doesn't exist." They both looked over at Shelby and her friends who were standing at the top of the stairs and continually striking poses in an effort to get people to notice them.

"I understand that, bro. Believe me, I do. However, I think you should keep your distance from her just for, tonight." Austin squinting at Ryan in confusion.

"How do you expect me to do that? This place is packed. No matter where we go, she'll be close by," he pointed out. His friend frowned thoughtfully. He was right. Then, Ryan smiled as his eyes lit up.

"Dude, I got it," he stated, snapping his fingers.

"What is it?" Austin wondered.

"They're setting up a wedding outside and they have lights hanging above the path. Maybe you guys could walk and talk out there…maybe even dance," he replied. Austin scratched his chin, debating whether or not it was a good idea.

"I don't know, man," he hesitated.

"Come on, bro. She'll love it. You told me yourself that you wanted to make this night unforgettable for both you. Now's your chance," he encouraged.

"I know," he said. "But I'd hate to make her walk outside in her heels. I mean, she's already told me how much they're hurting her feet," he continued. Ryan placed his hand on his shoulder cracking a half smile.

"Trust me, once you two see what I'm talking about, she won't even care about her feet," he insisted. Austin looked over at Sam, weighing the options. They could stay inside and hide from Shelby, or go outside and have a romantic walk underneath the lights. After a moment, he made his decision.

"All right, I'll do it," he said. Then, he walked back towards Sam, and grabbed her by the hand. "Would you mind taking a stroll with me outside?" he queried. Sam looked at him in confusion, unsure of what he was up to.

"You know that if we go outside you have no shot at becoming the homecoming prince, right?" she reminded. Austin chuckled.

"I really don't care about becoming homecoming prince," he told her, and they shared a smile.

"All right. I'm ready when you are, Mister," she stated. They walked away from Carter, though Sam took the opportunity to catch Carter's eye and motion for him to go talk to Astrid. Carter just shook his head until the two disappeared into the crowd. Just as they were going out the back door, Mrs. Wells noticed that their matching costumes and let out a small laugh.


	11. The Dance Part 2

**The Dance Part 2**

Sam and Austin walked across the path. "Wow. It's gorgeous," Sam breathed.

"Yeah, remind me to thank Ryan for suggesting this," Austin agreed and they laughed.

"Yeah, he's definitely smarter than anyone's ever given him credit for," she commented.

"So Sam Montgomery, tell me, how am I doing so far in the first date department?" he queried.

"Well, considering that this is my first date ever, you're doing terrific," she told him.

"'**Ever**'? Are you serious?" he asked. _No way! How could a girl as gorgeous as her never go out on a date?_ he wondered.

"Yeah," she nodded. Then, as if she knew what he was thinking, "You're forgetting I live with the Addams Family." He laughed as they walked underneath the arch. Unbeknownst to them, the band had seen them come out.

"Hey, look at those kids," a guy whispered to the woman next to him.

"Aw, it's Cinderella and Prince Charming," the woman said.

"What do you say we provide a little atmosphere for them?" another of the guys suggested. With that, they picked up their instruments and began playing a soft ballad.

"May I have this dance?" Austin asked.

"Of course," Sam replied, and they began to dance to the music._ Wow. Now I __**really**__ feel like a Princess. If this is a dream, I hope it never ends_, Sam thought to herself. Austin twirled Sam around and then dipped her. _Man, how'd I get so lucky?_ he wondered. _This was __**way**__ better than showing up with Shelby. She would've __**never**__ appreciated the simple beauty of the walkway._ Sam laughed as she was pulled back up and they continued dancing. Back inside, Shelby was fuming over the fact that she had seen Austin go outside with the mysterious girl.

"Shelby, just forget him. He obviously doesn't love you," Karen stated.

"Yeah, he was stupid enough to come with that girl," Mandy agreed.

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. He's ruined everything for me!" Shelby exclaimed. With that, she stomped outside, her friends following her.

"That doesn't look good," Carter noted.

"Not good at all. Let's go," Ryan stated and they hurried after them. Curious, Astrid joined them.

"What's going on?" she wondered.

"Austin and Sam are outside, Shelby's going after them," Carter answered.

"Not good," Astrid realized.

"No," the boys chorused. Seeing the commotion, the rest of the student body followed as Shelby and her friends went outside.

"Hey, where's everybody going?" Brianna wondered.

"I don't know. Let's find out," Gabriella stated, and they hurried after the crowd.

"Austin! What do you think you're doing?" Shelby demanded just as the song ended.

"Enjoying a date," Austin answered. _Man. Why can't she get it through her head that she doesn't own me?_

"In case you've forgotten Austin, I spent my entire high school days planning this!" Shelby exclaimed.  
"Boy does **she** need a new hobby," Astrid muttered and Carter and Ryan laughed. With a growl, Shelby turned to glare at them, and then turned back to Austin and his date.

"And in case you've forgotten Shelby, I dumped you and told you in no uncertain terms that we were over," Austin responded. Everyone gasped. Austin had dumped Shelby? Brianna and Gabriella stared at each other. Austin was single. The sisters stood up straighter and tried to make their way to the front. Shelby inhaled sharply. She had to calm down. He was obviously upset about something; because of course he wasn't serious about breaking up with her.

"Look, Austin, obviously you're going through something and you're upset, because you obviously didn't mean it when you broke up with me," she stated, approaching them. She laughed. "I mean, let's be realistic: we're the golden couple: cheerleader and football star. We're going to go to USC together," she reminded.

"Actually Shelby, I want to go to Princeton," he responded. _She's not even smart enough to get in to any college.  
_

"Princeton? Princeton? What's so special about Princeton!" she shrieked, and then continued before he could respond. "What, you meet some random girl and then decide throw away our whole future? How could you do this to me!"

"**This** is the girl I had the hots for?" Carter mumbled. _Not anymore. Geez._

"It's okay. We all make mistakes," Astrid said, patting his arm. Austin sighed and rubbed his head. _She gives me such a headache_, he thought to himself.

"Shelby, we're not together anymore. Get over it," he told her.

"So, who is she?" she demanded, stepping even closer to them. Austin stood in front of her protectively.  
Sam decided to take action and stand up for what was right.

"Austin, it's okay," Sam told him, coming to stand beside him. _I can't allow him to weather the storm by himself. Time to face the music._

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"No more pretending," she answered. Then, with that, she pulled off her mask.


	12. No More Pretending

**No More Pretending**

Sam threw the mask on the ground, showing that she wasn't ashamed of who she was. Everyone gasped the moment they saw who it was. _Diner Girl?_ David wondered. _Yes! Way to go, Sam!_ Ryan thought with a grin. The only ones who didn't notice that it was Sam were Gabriella and Brianna who were completely infatuated with Austin. However, by the time they came close to the front, they realized that it was time for them to meet Fiona in front of the building. With groans of annoyance, the two girls once again pushed through the crowd and headed outside. Shelby's mouth fell open.

"Are you serious? Diner Girl? You left me for **her**?" she asked with a condescending laugh.

"My name is Sam, Shelby and it's about time you started treating me with a little more respect," Sam countered. "You know, to be honest, I don't know why you act this way towards me."

"Because you're a nobody, Diner Girl. That's why. People like you don't belong in the same world as Austin and me," she replied haughtily. Sam returned the glare.

"Alright Shelby, that's enough," Austin interjected. "Sam has more place in my world then you ever will," he continued, stepping forward.

"Excuse me?" she asked._ How dare he say that I don't belong in his world? Of course I belong with him!_ she thought. "Everyone can see that don't love her and you're just using her to make me jealous. She's just a rebound girl," she continued. Austin's eyes flashed.

"Shelby, that's out of line! You don't know anything about me! I think it's time for you to leave," he said angrily.

"Yeah? Are you going to make me, Austin?" Shelby asked with a scoff. Austin looked down at his watch. He groaned as he realized that it was time to take Sam back to the diner before Fiona got there. Besides, his parents had taught him better than this. His mom would chew him out if he got into a fight, and he could just imagine what his dad would say.

"You know, I **would**, except you're not worth it," he answered. "We'll just leave. Come on, Sam," he said, taking her by the hand. She looked at him in confusion. "It's time to get you back to work," he explained softly. She nodded. _I can't believe it. This night went by too soon, _she thought_._ "By the way, thank you so much for helping me deal with the piece of garbage," he continued in a louder voice. Sam smiled and they both laughed.

"Ooooh! Burn!" Ryan exclaimed with his own laugh.

"Thank you for standing up for me. You don't know how much it means to me," Sam said. With that, they walked away.

"Come back here! You think you can walk away from me! I'm Shelby Cummings! Austin, you belong with me, not that little dork!" They just ignored her and continued out the door. Hearing the commotion, Mrs. Wells made her way through the crowd to investigate.

"What's going on?" she demanded. No one answered. Someone stepped forward but didn't say anything as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot repeatedly "Well, I guess it can wait for another time," she decided. "It's almost midnight and time to announce our homecoming prince and princess," she stated. Everyone looked at each other expectantly and Shelby straightened her stance and preened. At least the night was **somewhat** salvageable. "And I'm proud to announce that our homecoming prince and princess are Prince Charming and Cinderella!" Shelby's mouth dropped in shock as the rest of the students cheered with approval. _YES!_ Carter, Ryan, and Astrid thought. _No one deserves it more_, Astrid thought to herself.

"Well, where are they?" Mrs. Wells asked.

"Unfortunately Mrs. Wells, Prince Charming had to take Cinderella home before she turned into a pumpkin at midnight," Carter stated.

"Oh, dear. Well, that's no good," Mrs. Well responded.

"Hey, no sweat. We can tell 'em later, Mrs. W.," Astrid assured. Shelby pushed her way through them.

"But-but-Mrs. Wells, they're not even here, so the votes can't count, and I'm **much** prettier than Cinderella, and look at my costume, it goes perfectly with Karen and Mandy's outfits. We're Chester's Angels," she said, grabbing the principal's arm.

"First of all Shelby, that's **Charlie's **Angels," the woman corrected, yanking free of the girl's grasp.

"Secondly, put a cork in it." With that, she walked away, leaving the girl watching in flabbergasted shock.

"I think the grapes are a wee bit sour," Carter muttered to Astrid, who laughed in agreement.

"Hey, Carter, seeing that your ride has left already, would you want to take a drive with me for awhile?" she asked with a smile. Please say yes, she thought. Carter returned the smile and nodded.

"I would like that very much," he replied as he placed his arm around her, and they walked down the path. "See ya, Ryan. Thanks for all your help," he stated.  
"No problem, Bro. Have a good time," the other boy replied. Just as they walked away, David appeared next to Ryan.

"Hey Ryan, what's going on out here? And why the heck did Austin just leave with Diner Girl?" Ryan looked at him, not quite sure what to say. _And people think __**I'm **__dumb_, he thought to himself. Meanwhile, Shelby had finally walked back to Karen and Mandy.

"Are you okay?" Karen asked. Shelby shook her head.

"I can't believe Austin would ruin your whole night like that," Mandy added.

"I know. It's like he's completely changed," Shelby said. _I've gotta think of a plan that will make him hate her as much as I do, she thought._ While all of this was going on, Sam and Austin had just reached his car. He unlocked the car, and then opened the passenger door to let her in. He then got into the driver's seat, turned on the ignition, and started to leave. Then, he hit the brakes.

"Oh, we forgot to wait for Carter," he realized. Sam looked behind them and smiled.

"I think he found another ride so it's okay," she replied with a giggle. He turned to see their friend with Astrid. _Way to go, Carter,_ he thought to himself.

"Okay, he'll have to give us details tomorrow," he stated with a grin as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Definitely," she agreed. He continued out of the parking lot and went to make a right turn. From out of nowhere, Fiona's car nearly slammed in to them. Both drivers hit the brakes and ended up side-by-side. The twins saw that it was Austin and Sam.

"Sam?" they both queried in surprise. Austin motioned for her to get down and Sam ducked before Fiona could see her.

"Mom, she's in the car with Austin," Brianna whined. Fiona looked over at Austin to see no one in the passengers' seat.

"Hey, how we doing ladies? Sorry about the close call," he exclaimed, hoping that they couldn't hear his heart beating furiously. After a few moments of silence, he drove away like nothing happened.

"Mom, she was there, I swear," Gabriella stated.

"Don't be ridiculous. She's working right now. She'd never disobey me," Fiona reminded her daughter.

"She was there, though," they both insisted as Fiona continued down the road.

"Shut your cat face!" she demanded in exasperation.


	13. Race For Home

**Race For Home**

Austin continued down the street. "Did she see me?" Sam asked, as she straightened up again.

"No, but I think the Psycho Twins did," Austin replied.

"Oh, great. Just perfect," Sam huffed. _Yep, Fiona's going to kill me._

"Don't worry. I'll get you home before they get there," Austin replied, revving his engine.

"Well, I **do** need _Fast and the Furious_, but don't get pulled over," Sam told him.

"You got it," he responded. He sped up and continued down the road.

"Mother, they're going to beat us back to the diner. Speed up!" Gabriella insisted.

"We'll get to the diner soon. And where are your prizes?" Fiona demanded.

"We didn't win. Some girl stole it from us," Gabriella replied with a huff. Fiona blew out an irritated breath.

"I don't believe this. You let some random girl steal homecoming princess from you two?" she asked.

"It's not our fault Austin Ames decided to dance with her," Brianna muttered. Gabriella frowned. She **still** couldn't believe that Austin had chosen that dumb girl. And she was **certain** that she had seen Sam with him just now.

"Mother, you have to hurry! They're going to beat us!" the shorter twin insisted.

"We'll be back at the diner soon enough."

"Well, soon enough isn't soon enough!" With that, Gabriella stretched out her leg and placed her foot over the metal. The car's engine revved and sped off as everyone screamed in fright. Sam and Austin stared in shock._ What the...?_ Austin thought.

"Was that-?"

"Uh-huh."

"Let's not go that fast."

"Right." They continued towards the diner. What no one knew was that Astrid had taken Carter to the Plaza across the street from the intersection. The two had gone into ice cream store to get a snack and were just coming out and heading to Astrid's car. Just as they reached the vehicle, they heard shouting and turned to look. To their surprise, a gray sedan was swerving all over the road.

"Whoa. Mario Andretti wannabe," Astrid commented and Carter laughed. Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna screamed as they continued down the road.

"Take your paw off the gas!" Fiona exclaimed.

"I can't! It's stuck!" Gabriella shouted. They continued to scream as the car swerved.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE! WE'RE GOING TO DIE! WE'RE GOING TO DIE! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

"BRIANNA, SHUT UP!" While this was going on, Austin had finally made it to the diner.

"Okay, go, go, go, go, go, go!" he hissed as she hurried out of the vehicle and he removed his jacket to reveal a plain white shirt.

"I had a great time, thanks," she told him.

"So did I," he responded. She squeezed his hand and then ran into the diner. He waited until she was inside and then started to back out of the parking lot. Meanwhile, Fiona had finally managed to wrench her and Gabriella's feet free. Seeing the car in front of her, Fiona slammed on the brakes. Hearing a screech, Austin looked over his shoulder.

"Oh, geez!" he took his foot off the gas and swerved so that the cars barely missed each other. _She really needs to go back to driving school._

"Are you girls okay?" Fiona asked.

"Uh-huh," the girls chorused.

"I think I need to use the litter box," Brianna stated.

"Ew," Gabriella responded.

"Gabriella, don't you ever do something so stupid again!" Fiona snapped. _And that's my cue,_ Austin thought to himself. With that, he once again started to back out. _I really hope they don't see me._

"Austin! Austin!" Brianna shouted. _What's he doing here?_ Gabriella wondered. "Then, Ooooh! He must've come to see me!"

"Austin! Austin!" she exclaimed._ Eyes on the road, eyes on the road._ Austin repeated to himself. However, he gave no indication that he had heard either of them as he backed out of the parking lot and drove off. Gabriella and Brianna's faces fell.

"Austin," Gabriella whispered. _Where's he going?_

"Mom, I really have to go," Brianna whined.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Gabriella huffed, and they got out of the car. Rhonda, Bobby, and Eleanor rushed out to meet them as Brianna hurried towards the restroom. Fiona sighed in exasperation as her employees shouted questions at her. _Honestly! Can't they see I've had a long night? And after all I do for them! _she thought.

"Shut up!" she finally barked. "Where's Sam?" The trio fell silent. _Covering for her, are you?_ she thought. "When I find her, I'm going to ring her little-" Her threat was cut off by a small ding.


	14. Something Fishy

**Something Fishy**

"Order's up," Sam announced from the kitchen, placing a large stack of pancakes on the counter. Fiona turned around in shock.

"Sam? What are you doing back there?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just working on my cooking skills," she replied with a fake smile. Hopefully, she wouldn't come back here. Realizing that she needed back up, Bobby quickly chimed in.

"Um...yeah. I was teaching her to make pancakes...with salmon," he explained, while holding the fish in his hands. Sam turned Gabriella and Brianna.

"How was the dance, girls?" she asked casually. They looked at her in confusion. They were almost certain they saw Sam sitting in Austin's car with him. _How is this possibly?_ Gabriella wondered.

"There's something that stinks around here. And it's not the fish!" Fiona yelled. "I don't know what it is, but I'm going to find out sooner or later," she continued, walking over to Rhonda to search for anything out of the ordinary. Finding nothing, she frowned. "You're gonna get it. Come on, girls." With that, they walked out of the diner, Brianna and Gabriella still debating whether to believe Sam. Sam let out a sigh of relief. _Thank goodness they're too stupid to catch on_, she thought to herself. As the door slammed shut, Rhonda gave a Sam big thumbs' up. Sam let out another sigh of relief and looked down at the bottom half of her dress.

"Rhonda, that was too close. You can thank Austin for getting me as quick as he did," she stated. Rhonda smiled.

"Well, tell Mr. Prince Charming I said thank you," she responded as Sam walked out of the kitchen.

"I definitely will," she replied with a giggle. Rhonda grinned at the giggle from Sam when she mentioned Austin. _I've never seen her this gaga over a guy before. Time for her to share the details, she thought._

"So, how was your date?" she asked curiously. Sam blushed.

"Oh, my god, Rhonda. He couldn't have planned a better evening. The steak dinner I had was incredible and the romantic dance under the stars. It was like my own fairytale came to life!" she gushed, as everyone gathered closer.

"That's so awesome, Sam. No one deserves it more then you!" Eleanor said with a smile.

"Thanks, Eleanor. It was the most fun I've had since my Dad died," she replied, looking down at the floor and thinking all the fun times they could've had if he was still around. God, I miss him, she thought. Then, she thought of Shelby's reaction and became terrified of what the girl could possibly do to get back at her. _What if she does something to screw things with Austin? I know she's going to_, she thought to herself. Sam began sat down at one of the bar stools and began to cry. Rhonda wrapped her arms around Sam as she began to tear up.

"Your Dad was an amazing person. I'm so glad you were able have a fun for a change," she told her. They pulled away from each other and Sam wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Thanks, Rhonda. But I was actually crying because I'm scared about what Shelby could do," she admitted.

"What? Who's Shelby?" the older woman asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Austin's ex-girlfriend. She confronted us tonight and I finally stood up to her. I just don't want her to screw things up with me and Austin," she replied.

"Well, what did Austin do when she confronted you guys?" Bobby wondered.

"He did exactly what I hoped he'd do: backed me up one-hundred percent," Sam answered.

"So, what are you worried about?" Eleanor wondered.

"Yeah, doesn't that show you he won't turn on you? Austin seems like a very nice young man. I'm glad you were able to be strong and not back down from this girl. That makes me so proud," Rhonda agreed.

The others nodded and made similar statements.

"I know," Sam said with a sigh. "It's that I have to see her at school everyday. I mean, our lockers are within feet of each other." Rhonda nodded. Sam was right. Things could get ugly. But before Sam could continue, she heard her cell beep and looked down at the phone. "It's Austin," she commented as Rhonda leaned over to read what the text message said.

"Well, what did he say?" asked Eleanor.


	15. Late Night

**Late Night**

Sam grinned, reading the message. She giggled and texted back. _What a sweet heart!_

"What? What'd he say?" the others asked anxiously.

"He said he misses me already," the girl told them. Rhonda and Eleanor made "Awww" noises, while Bobby just rolled his eyes. _Women_, he thought to himself.

"All right, young lady. You need to change into some regular clothes and then get yourself home and get to bed," Rhonda told her, handing her a small bag. Sam smiled. _Who could sleep after a night like this? _She thought.

"There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep, but okay," Sam agreed, taking the bag. She went into the restroom, changed into jeans and a t-shirt, and then came back out.

"Good night, everybody," she said.

"Good night, Sam," they all chorused.

"If Fiona gives you any problems just let me know, okay?" Punching her fist against her other hand. Sam giggled and nodded.

"I will. Thanks, Rhonda."

"Have pleasant dreams," Eleanor told her.

"I'm sure I will," Sam stated.

"Oye, make sure they're not **too** pleasant," Bobby cautioned.

"Bobby," Rhonda scolded as Eleanor punched him on the arm. _I can't believe he actually said that._

"Ouch! Geez, woman! What are you, a heavyweight?" Bobby gripped, rubbing his arm. Sam laughed and went out to her car. She got in, put the keys in the ignition after a few minutes of stalling, the engine finally revved and she drove back home. She parked the car and then hurried up to her room, where she undressed. Then, she turned to her computer, which she had left on. _Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to see if Austin's still up_, she thought to herself. She went to the computer and checked her e-mail. Just as she figured, Austin had left her a message.  
**Sorry, I know you're probably tired, but I forgot to say good night.** Sam smiled.  
**I ****am**** tired, but I'm glad you wrote me. I had an amazing time. Good night.** She grinned as she sent the message. **Sleep well.**

**I will, thanks. You too.** Then, she signed off and went to bed. In his room, Austin smiled as he signed off. Despite the confrontation with Shelby, things had gone better than he had planned. Sam had looked gorgeous in that dress, and they had gotten the chance to have some time alone before the dance. When he was with Sam, he felt like he could be himself. His reverie was broken when the door opened to reveal his mother.

"Hey, Mom," he greeted.

"Sorry, Sweetie. I know you're probably tired, but I wanted to know how your date went. Did you and that girl, Sam, have a good time?" she queried. Austin grinned.

"Oh, we had a **great** time, Mom! She loved Pierre's, and she was awesome to our waitress," he answered. The woman grinned at her son's excited tone. _It's about time Austin found someone who understood him. Now, it's time for his Dad to understand_, she thought. She had never really liked Shelby. Oh, the girl was polite enough to her and husband, but she had seen the way she treated people, which turned her against the girl.

"All, right. I'm going to let you go to bed now," she said. She kissed the top of his head.

"Come on, Mom. I'm not five anymore," Austin complained, pulling away. _At least no one was around to see it._

"A mother can dream," came the response and with a laugh, she walked out. Austin changed into his nighttime attire, and then got into his bed. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with a smile upon his face. What no one knew, was that in her own room, Shelby was pacing back and forth furiously. _I can't believe this! How could Austin do this?_ she wondered. Why didn't he like her anymore? She was everything a guy could want: pretty, popular, cheer captain, wealthy…she had it all. She had to get Austin back! There had to be some way of turning him against Sam! _I'll get Austin back if it's the last thing I do_, she vowed.


	16. Back To Reality

**Back To Reality**

Sam's deep sleep was cut short by Fiona screaming over the intercom.

"Sam! I need my salmon! Wake up!" Sam jerked awake at the rude wake up call. _I guess it's back to __**real**__ world, today. Less then six months to go. Can't wait to get away from this place,_ she thought. She was expecting a letter from Princeton at any moment. So, with any luck, her days under Fiona's roof were numbered…hopefully. She rolled out of bed before Fiona could yell through the speaker again.

"I'm up. Just give me ten minutes," she said nicely.

"Now!" she immediately demanded. Sam rolled her eyes and began getting ready for the day. _I can't wait to get to school so I can see Austin_, she thought. She smiled, but the grin faded when remembered she would have to face Shelby and her ladies in waiting. _Oh, geez. I really wish I could just delete her like unwanted junk mail_, she thought, becoming depressed. Immediately, her excitement turned into wanting to quit school just to avoid her.

"What am I going to do about her?" she whispered to herself. There was no way she could face Shelby and her friends.

"SA-A-AM!" Blowing out a breath, Sam quickly finished getting ready and then hurried downstairs. Meanwhile, Austin was gathering his assignments and books, and putting them in his backpack. Once he was finished, he grabbed the backpack and headed downstairs to get some breakfast. However, he was stopped by his dad.

"Hey, Austin, could I have a word with you?" he asked, motioning him over with his finger. Austin hesitated for a moment.

"Um yeah. Sure. What's up?" he asked nervously, realizing that the man was up to something.

"Look, son. Your coach and I were talking the other day, and we think you should really consider rejoining the team," Mr. Ames stated.

"Dad," Austin interjected.

"I know, you really want to become a writer, but I think you have a much brighter future with football," Mr. Ames interrupted. Austin's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe that his own father was trying to tell him what was best for him.

"Dad, do you even know me?" he asked. "I told you the day I quit the team that I had no interest in returning," he continued. Austin paused for a few seconds attempting to hold back his anger. "Shouldn't you care more about what I want rather then what you want for me? You pushed me in to doing something I didn't want to do for almost nine years, Dad. I'm finished with football!" The man sighed.

"Look, Son. It's not like I'm telling you to go to the NFL. I'd just love for you to follow in my foot steps like I did with your grandfather. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Austin blew out a breath and rubbed his face with a hand, upset that the man was trying to guilt him in to agreeing with him.

"Now, that's not fair," he protested. "You know I would love to follow in your foot steps if it was something I had a passion for it. But how can I have a passion for something I was forced into it?" His dad stared, looking genuinely confused.

"What makes you think I pushed you into this?"

"Well, for starters, I had to get up at five in the morning to do throwing drills at the age of ten. Then when I hit junior high you sent me off to a football camp in Texas, which I didn't want to go to by the way. And then I was grounded after having a bad game. I'm sorry; football's no longer in my plans." His father fell silent and Austin let out a surprised chuckle. For the longest time he had wanted to tell his dad how he felt and he had finally done it. Yet, he felt terrible about how he said it.

"Austin," Mr. Ames said softly. _Wow. I didn't realize I was putting so much pressure on him_, the man thought to himself. Austin looked him in the eye.

"Look, I'm sorry for how that came out, but not for what I said. Now I really need to get to school because I have a big test in my history class." His dad nodded but didn't say a word as he turned around and walked away. _Damn, who knew I would get him to shut up about football? I guess it's back to reality_, he thought to himself. His dad had seemed to get the message, which was great, but he still wasn't convinced that he was done bugging him about rejoining the team. Austin shrugged his shoulders, walked down the stairs, grabbed two pop-tarts from the cabinet, and then headed for the driveway where his car was. He got into the vehicle, started the engine, and drove off to school to face the unknown.


	17. Lunch Hour

**Lunch Hour**

After picking up Carter, Sam headed for school, where she parked in the parking lot, and then headed in. "I don't know, Carter. What if he's changed his mind? I mean, Shelby's so pretty and-" she began to say.

"Psychotic," Ryan interrupted as he came up to them. "Sam, will you relax? Austin's crazy about you, and I've never seen him happier," he continued. Sam gave him a grateful grin. _Ryan is such a sweet guy!_

"Thanks," she said. "Sorry, you guys. I'm just kind of freaking out over here," she admitted.

"Relax, girl. It's all good," Ryan told her, giving her a half hug. Just then, David came up to them. _Oh, great. Here we go._

"Hey, yo, Ryan! What's up? Why you slummin' with Diner Girl?" he wondered. Sam let out a small sigh. _I really can't stand this guy!_

"David, quit callin' her that," Ryan snapped. "Sam's a great girl, and she makes Austin happy," he continued. David rolled his eyes. _I don't get it. Why is he so protective of her all of a sudden?_ he wondered.

"How can she make him happy? She's a nobody. She has no friends, she's boring, and-"

"And you're insulting my girlfriend, why?" a voice interrupted. David turned around to see Austin.

"Dude, you had **Shelby**, you didn't need anyone else," he stated. Austin pinched the bridge of his nose. _He's giving me such a headache_, he thought to himself.

"Yeah, key word 'had'. And I won't ever have her **again**!"

"I knew this was a bad idea," Sam stated, and she started to run off. _I gotta get out of here!_

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Don't lose your confidence now," Carter said, grabbing her arm.

"Oh, come on! Who am I kidding? David's right, I-" Austin did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Sam's arm, pulled her close, and kissed her passionately. David's jaw dropped._ Dude! What?_ he wondered. Austin couldn't be serious. This was Diner Girl! Not that she was bad to look at, but she was no Shelby. Shelby was **hot**! Sam moaned and reciprocated the kiss. Ryan and Carter grinned at each other knowingly. Just then, the warning bell rang.

"Okay, you guys, let's go," Carter said. With simultaneous moans, Sam and Austin pulled away from each other.

"David, we'll be talking about this later," Austin stated.

"Yeah, count on it, Bro," Ryan added. David watched as Sam, Austin, Carter, and Ryan walked away. _Man, what's with them?_ he wondered. It was like he had entered some parallel universe. Meanwhile, Astrid was doing her morning announcements.

"Big news, Frogs, Prince Charming has dumped the Wicked Witch of the West and now has a new girlfriend. Congratulations, Cinderella," she told stated. _No need for Sam's wicked stepsisters to learn her identity_, she thought. "And speaking of Prince Charming and Cinderella, let's give it up to them for winning homecoming prince and princess," she continued. Sam's jaw dropped. _I don't believe it! Austin and I won?_ she thought. _Whoa! We won? That is cool!_ Austin thought to himself. Shelby huffed and folded her arms in a pout. _I can't believe she stole it from me! Diner Girl is a nobody and never should've won!_ she thought. Astrid went on to other announcements, as various students went to their classes. For Sam, everything seemed to be spinning. Before she and Austin had gotten to know each other, she would have just met up with Carter between classes. Now they were joined by Austin and Ryan. The first couple of times that they joined up, students started to say something. However, one look from Austin stopped them cold. Finally, it was time for lunch. They all headed for the lunch line, not realizing that Shelby and her friends were headed in the same direction. Shelby headed in their direction, but waited until Ryan and Austin had walked away from Sam and Carter. She watched as they all got their food. Then, she walked up to them and shoved Sam with her hip, causing the other girl to drop her tray as she fell to the ground.

"Oh, my gosh! I am **so **sorry!" she exclaimed in a voice that everyone could hear. "Here, let me help you," she continued offering a hand as everyone turned to stare at them. _There's something not right about this. I can feel it._ Sam thought.

"Why? You were the one who knocked me down," Sam responded. Shelby laughed innocently.

"What are you talking about, Sam? I would **never** do anything so mean," she claimed. _I am __**so**__ smart. Austin is going to see what a little brat Sam is and come crawling back to me_, she thought smugly. Austin, Carter, and Ryan came up to them.

"What happened?" Austin asked as Ryan and Carter helped Sam to her feet.

"Shelby knocked me down," Sam replied. They all turned to her.

"Austin, I swear it was an accident. And I offered to help, but she wouldn't take it," Shelby defended herself.

"Yeah, we were just talking and not paying attention when Shelby accidentally bumped into Sam," Karen added.

"That's right," Mandy nodded. Astrid let out a small scoff and shook her head. _She actually believes this is going to work?_ she thought. She had seen Shelby come up behind Sam, but hadn't been able to warn the girl in time. Austin looked at Shelby, then at Sam. He wasn't sure what Shelby was up to, but he wasn't about to buy into it.

"Sam, are you all right?" he questioned.

"Yeah. I'm just lunch-less," she answered.

"You can share mine," he offered.

"Thanks," she grinned. Shelby's jaw dropped.

"But-but, Austin! Didn't you see how rude she was to me when I was being so nice to her?" she asked. Austin glanced at her.

"Shelby, I have no doubt that you knocked her down on purpose. I'm not sure what you thought you were going to accomplish, but it didn't work," he stated. With that, they walked to a table.

"Austin," Shelby said in shock. _I don't believe this! How could this have not worked! I was nice and everything!_ she thought to herself. Sam, Austin, Carter, and Ryan all sat down. Astrid walked past Shelby, got her lunch, and then approached the table that Sam and her friends were at. Shelby just stared, unsure of what to do.


	18. After School

**After School**

Holding hands, Sam and Austin walked down the hall as everyone was preparing to head home for the day.

"So, do you want to come over to my house to do homework?" Austin asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I just gotta be sure I leave around 6 to get to work. Fiona will blow a gasket if I'm late," Sam replied, rolling her eyes._ I seriously cannot wait until I'm off to college_, she thought to herself. Then, she'd finally be free of her crazy stepfamily.

"Great! I don't have that much homework tonight, anyway," Austin replied. Sam let out a small chuckle.

"Well, lucky you. I have a lot considering I have to do my sisters' homework along with my alone. Gosh, I can't wait for college! It'll at least be for something I want."

"That really sucks, Sam. However, look at the bright side. You'll have just as much homework and it will be all yours." Austin stated with a laugh. Sam glared, but it quickly disappeared when he placed his arms around her and kissed her forehead as they reached his locker.

"Okay, Mr. Comedian, get your stuff so we can get out of here," the girl stated. Austin turned to his locker whispering his combination out loud. While he was loading up his backpack Sam saw her step-sisters in distance. She saw their jaws drop and they stared at her in shock. Sam tensed as they pointed at her. _Great, dumb and dumber finally found out about Austin and me_, she thought to herself.

"Oh, god." Austin turned around as he closed his locker.

"What's wrong?"

"I think my sisters know about us, now. They were probably watching us as you kissed my forehead."

"So?"

"So, that would mean they probably know I was the one with you last night. If they tell Fiona I'm dead meat. She'll know I wasn't at work," she reminded him. He grimaced. _Yeah, that would be bad_, he realized. "Plus, they kind of have a thing for you, unfortunately," Sam continued. She let out a sigh. "Why can't I ever catch a break? Things are finally going my way."

"Well, you can tell them I don't feel the same about them at all. And trust me, Sam, it's going to be okay," he said with a smile.

"How's it going to be okay? They already make my home life hard enough. What if they try something? We already have to deal with Shelby and her friends. I don't know if I can take all this." Unhappily, she looked back towards her sisters who were still staring and gossiping. _I wonder what their saying about me_, she thought.

"Who cares if they do?" He placed his hands on her cheeks to regain her attention. He understood her concern, but it was their lives. "There will always be someone trying to stand in our way and bring us down just because we put our social lives aside. We just need to stick together and not quit when the going gets tough. I know we can do this. All right?" Sam nodded, though she didn't look entirely convinced.

"Alright," she whispered. Sure, things seemed hopeless right now, but she knew Austin was right. She couldn't give up. They exchanged a quick kiss and a long hug before continuing down the hall ignoring Gabriella and Brianna.

"Who does Sam think she is trying to steal Austin from us?" Gabriella stated. _I don't believe her! She's such a nobody!_ She thought to herself. "I **knew** there was something fishy about last night. She must've just **barely** beaten us back."

"So, what are we going to do about it? Tell mom or what?" Brianna asked curiously. Her sister scoffed. _Sheesh! Do I have think up __**everything**__ around here? _she wondered.

"Nah, that wouldn't get Austin to like us. Our best bet is to talk to Shelby. I mean, if we can't have him, then no one else should have him either," Gabriella responded.

"Okay, but you know Shelby can't stand us, right?" Brianna pointed out.

"What do you mean we bought her that Prada bag for her birthday," Gabriella reminded.

"I heard Karen call it a "Frada" bag," Brianna said. Gabriella huffed, but otherwise ignored the comment.

"Trust me. She'll probably feel the same way considering how he ended it with her," she said as they walked to their Volkswagens. Meanwhile, Ryan and David in the locker room, changing for practice.

"I still can't believe Austin's dating Diner Girl," David commented.

"Dude, what is that you have against Sam, anyway?" Ryan asked defensively. _He doesn't even know her_, he thought.

"I just don't like her. She works in a diner and she's a nerd. What's there to like?" David replied with a snicker. Ryan sighed as he pulled his jersey over his head.

"Come on, bro, She's a great girl. If you would just try to get to know her a little you would see that she's not what Shelby says she is."

"I really don't have any desire to get to know that geek. Shelby is the most popular girl in school. That's who he should be dating. Not Diner girl." Ryan let out an annoyed sigh. He knew David could be stubborn at times, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Dave, Shelby's garbage and she isn't even passing any of her classes right now. Are you saying that you would rather Austin date someone with zero common sense?"

"She's hot. Shelby doesn't need common sense," David joked. Ryan let out a frustrated sigh.

"Whatever, man. Can't you just give an honest effort? Austin is your friend, right?"

"Well, yeah of course, but Diner Girl, though? He could do so much better then her."

"How do you know that if you don't even know her?" Knowing that Ryan had a point, David didn't reply. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Ryan said glaring as they both finally finished changing into their uniform.

"Enough about Diner Girl, bro. Let's go to practice and I'll think about if I want to protect your blindside on Saturday," David joked as they followed the rest of their team onto the field. They both shared a laugh, but Ryan's heart wasn't in it. He had to figure out a way to make David see the truth. Then, his thoughts were broken by the sound of coach's whistle, and he immediately took his position as the scrimmage started, causing all thoughts about Austin's current problem to fade.


	19. Homework And Talks

**Homework And Talks**

Once Austin and Sam had gotten to his house, they went to the living room, where they each sat on the couch and started in on their homework.

"Ugh," Austin suddenly groaned.

"What?" Sam asked, looking up from her textbook.

"This bio question from Mr. Rothman. Like I'm supposed to remember how fast a frog's heart beats when I don't have a visual?" Austin griped. _I really can't stand him!_

"Ribbit, ribbit," Sam said, and Austin laughed at the reference to one of their earlier text conversations. The two continued with their homework. Finally, Austin closed his last textbook with a satisfied sigh.

"Ah! Done at last," he grinned and stood up._ Man, that feels so good! Now we can just hang out_, he thought to himself.

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Sam complained. "I still have to do Gabriella and Brianna's," she reminded him. For an answer, Austin just pulled her up. "Austin, what are you doing?" _He knows I can't just slack off on their homework. They'd kill me_, she thought to herself.

"They're big girls. They can do their own homework," he told her._ They've taken advantage of Sam long enough. I'm putting a stop to this_, he thought.

"But-" she began to protest. _Their going to kill me!_

"And if they don't, then they deserve whatever grade they get," he continued. _I mean, let's get serious here. They're in high school_, his thought continued.

"But-" she started to protest again.

"You just leave Fiona and her big "butt" to me," he interrupted firmly. To his surprise, Sam began to laugh. _That wasn't supposed to be funny_, he thought. "What?"

"That's exactly what Rhonda said once." Austin's laughter joined hers._ I guess great minds think alike_, he thought to himself.

"Well, she's right. We'll take care of her," he stated. Sam laughed again. Meanwhile, Ryan and David were running drills scrimmaging with the rest of their teammates. Finally, they were told to take a five minute break. Ryan went to his locker and pulled out a water battle and took a small drink as David rummaged around his bag.

"Oh, man! I don't believe this!" he exclaimed. _How could I have forgotten a water bottle?_ he wondered.  
"Here, man. Have some of mine," Ryan offered, offering the bottle.

"Thanks," David said gratefully. He took the bottle and took a drink. "Man, it's weird not having Austin here," he commented.

"Yeah, it is," his friend agreed. "But he's happy with his choices, and we're going to have to respect that," he continued. Sam's been really good for him._ He's __**definitely**__ much happier now_, he thought to himself.

"He's really happy with Di-Sam?" the other boy asked. _Not saying Diner Girl is just weird to me..._

"Yeah," he nodded, deciding to ignore the slip. David nodded. He had to admit, it was good to hear that Austin was doing so well. But…why couldn't have been with Shelby? Was she really that bad? Before he could ask the question, the coach called them back to practice. While this was going on, Gabriella and Brianna had met up with Shelby, Karen, and Mandy.

"So, what do you want?" _Shelby asked. Honestly! Can't they see that I'm in pain here? I don't have time to tolerate them!_ she silently fumed.

"To help you get Austin back," Gabriella answered.

_I **love** the sound of that!_ "Go on," Shelby said. _I don't really like them, but they live with Diner Girl and could be useful_, she thought.

"Well, we all know that Sam doesn't deserve to be seen with Austin," Gabriella stated. _I mean, really! Who does she think she is, upsetting the social balance here? What is she trying to do? Cause a riot?_ she wondered to herself.

"That's pretty much a given," Karen interjected. _Why is Shelby putting up with her?_ she asked herself.

"Well, it's not Austin's fault that he's with Sam," Gabriella said.

"What do you mean?" Shelby asked, curious in spite of herself.

"Sam…Oh! I can't believe I'm going to actually going to say this, but Sam has been planning this ever since the semester started," Gabriella confessed.

"What are you talking about?" Mandy wondered. _What does she mean 'planning'?_ she wondered.

"When we first came back, we noticed that she kept glancing at him in school, but we didn't think anything of it-" Gabriella began.

"Because who **doesn't** look?" Brianna interrupted.

"But we all know not to touch because he's yours," Gabriella continued, elbowing her sister. "Anyway, that's when she started the whole affair. She snuck into admissions and checked his class schedule, and began showing up wherever he was," she told them.

"So she **stalked** my boyfriend?" Shelby queried. _I don't believe her. Who does she think she is?_ she wondered angrily. Everyone knew that Austin was her boyfriend and that they weren't even to **deign** to look at him without her permission.

"Yeah," Gabriella nodded. "And she said she was going to steal him away from you if it was **the** last thing she did," she added.

"We wanted to tell you sooner, but she threatened to kill us," Brianna stated, her eyes going wide. "Our stepsister is such a monster," she added dramatically. Shelby let out a breath.

"I don't believe this. All this time I've been **so** mad at Austin, and it wasn't even his fault," she said. _And to think I said such horrible things to him. He didn't know that she was a psychopath!_ _Oh, I've got to get him back so that he'll see that I'm the one who truly understands him_, she thought. Her eyes darkened. "Well, she **won't** get away with it. That little boyfriend stealer is going down."


	20. Accepted

**Accepted**

While Sam was mopping the floors at the diner, Fiona was in the living room searching through all the mail. "Don't want that, don't want that, don't want that…" Her continuous rejection of her credit card bills was interrupted when she came across a large envelope with Princeton University in big bold letters. _Princeton? What could __**they**__ want? _she wondered. However, instead of placing it in Sam's pile she tore it open to see a letter stating Sam had been accepted and would be eligible to start next fall. Fiona's mouth fell open. _Accepted? She got accepted?_ she wondered. How could that be? It was as if she had been slapped in the face. If Sam saw this, she would leave. And not only the house, but the diner too. If that happened, who would scrub the floors till midnight? Who would bring her salmon to her three times day? This will cause nothing but problems. _I can't let Sam leave_, she thought.

"This just won't work," she stated out loud in disapproval. "I know just what to do about **this**." She got up from the couch and walked toward the den where her brand new computer was, having had using the money from the diner to buy a new printer. She placed the letter on the table and sitting in front of the monitor, she began writing a fake 'rejection letter'. As she typed, Fiona smirked. Even **she** knew how badly Sam wanted to get in to Princeton and knew she how crushed she would be if she had been turned down. But who cared? This would keep Sam from leaving, and that was all that mattered. Meanwhile, at his house, Austin was in his room writing a story that he'd been working on for a few days. He sighed and leaned back, perusing the words critically. With his plans to be a writer, he never liked to rush any of his works. Then his mom rushed in with all of the mail, causing him to turn to her in surprise.

"Sorry honey, I don't mean to barge in, but you got a letter from Princeton," she reported excitedly. _Oh, I can't wait to see what it says_, she thought. Hopefully, it was good news. Austin's eyes grew and he snagged the letter from her hand and instantly tore the envelope open. _I can't believe it! The letter came?_ he wondered silently. He opened up the letter and began reading it. Mrs. Ames watched her son's facial expression anxiously, and bit her lip when it appeared that his enthusiasm was fading.

"Well, what does it say, honey?" she asked with concern. Austin looked back at her as his smile returned.

"Mom, I got in!" he yelled, leaping into his mother's arms.

"You little sneak," she accused fondly.

"Wow! This feels a lot better then I thought I would," he said, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Oh, Austin, I'm so proud of you! Congratulations!" she told him. Then, after celebrating for a few more minutes, "Are you going to tell your dad?" His smiled immediately fell. _Dad. I forgot all about him_, he thought.

"Um, I don't know, mom. I just don't see him taking it well. He's really been pushing for USC." His mom nodded understanding why he wasn't anxious to break the news to him.

"I know, I know. But he deserves to know, Austin. He's your father and you should know he'll be proud of you no matter what school you attend." Austin couldn't bring himself to return his mother's smile. Would Dad really be proud of him no matter what he decided? Sighing, he nodded. Mom was right. Dad needed to know, even if he ended up regretting it.

"Alright, mom. I'll tell him tomorrow. I want to let the excitement settle in for tonight." His mother laughed.

"Okay, sweetheart. Just don't stay up much later. It's a school night, you know."

"Oh, I won't. I'm pretty wiped anyway."

"Okay, my little Shakespeare, get some rest and I'll leave you a breakfast burrito in the refrigerator, alright?"

"Okay, thank you, mom." She walked out of his room closing the door behind her as Austin returned to his short story. About five minutes later, his train of thought was broken by a text message. Confused, he looked down.

"Shelby? Are you serious? Gosh, what does she want?" he whispered as he saw her name flashing under 'new message'.


	21. A New Tactic

**A New Tactic**

With a sigh, Austin pressed the 'talk' button. He wasn't quite sure what she wanted, but it'd at least be interesting. "What do you want, Shelby?" he queried.

"I just want to apologize for the way I've been acting," Shelby told him. Austin's brows furrowed. Was he hearing right? Shelby actually wanted to apologize?

"Well, uh, that's really big of you, Shelby," he said. _What is she up to?_ he wondered.

"Well, how can I be angry with you when you're not the one who did something wrong?" she pointed out. _Huh? What's that suppose to mean?_ he wondered.

"You've lost me," he told her.

"Listen, Austin, I know the whole story. I mean, **everything**. I mean, how Sam tricked you and-" she continued.

"Shelby, it's late, I'm tired, and you're not making sense. I'm going to bed," he interrupted. Then, before she could respond, he hung up and turned off his phone. Then, he saved his work, and then shut down the computer. When he was finished with that, he went to bed. Before he knew it, he was being woken up by an alternative rock song. He groaned, but turned off the clock, and then got dressed and headed downstairs.

"Hello, Son," his father greeted.

"Hey, Dad," Austin acknowledged. "Listen, do you have a sec? I wanna talk to you about college," he stated. Mr. Ames looked at his son.

"Of course, son. I have the applications for USC right here," he said.

"No, Dad. I don't want to go to USC," the boy responded.

"Don't want to go to USC?" his father repeated. "Son, what are you saying?" he asked. Austin chewed his bottom lip nervously. Could he really do this? Could he really break his father's heart?

"Austin?" The boy blew out a breath. _Here goes nothing_, he thought.

"I got into Princeton. **That's** where I want to go."

"Princeton?" the man echoed. What was so great about Princeton?

"Yeah. It has a great writing program," Austin continued. The man blew out a breath. _The writing again?_ he wondered.

"Austin, think about your future. Writing doesn't have a solid promise of security-" he began.

"You know, Mom was **ecstatic** when my acceptance came in. I understand that this isn't what you want for me, but I thought you'd at least be happy," Austin snapped. Then, before his father could respond, he stomped out the door. The man blew out breath. _Way to blow that one_, he thought to himself. Meanwhile, Sam was also getting ready for school while catering to the needs of whims of Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna. Finally, she was ready.

"Sam! This Salmon's too salty!" Fiona screeched as the girl was almost out the door.

"Sorry! Gotta go!" she called and quickly dashed to her car, her stepmother's voice yelling at her. She picked up Carter, and then headed for school, where they were met by Ryan and Astrid.

"Austin's not here yet?" Sam queried. Ryan shook his head.

"But he'll probably be along shortly," he answered.

"Cool," she said. While this was going on, Austin pulled into the parking lot, parked, turned off the engine, and then walked into the school. He grinned when he saw Sam, Carter, Astrid, and Ryan. _Man, this is gonna shake things up_, he thought to himself and headed towards them. Without warning, Shelby was in front of him. _Oh, great. What does she want now?_

"Hi, Austin," she greeted, draping her arms around him.

"Shelby, I don't know what you're playing at, but it's not going to work," he told her, removing himself from the embrace.

"'Playing at'?" she echoed. Then, she laughed. "Austin, you're so funny!" Austin stared at her. _O…kay. What kind of crazy pills did she take this morning?_ he wondered.

"Listen, Austin. We really need to talk," Shelby told him.

"Shelby," Austin said warningly. _She's really starting to get under my skin._

"It's about Sam," Shelby insisted.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it from you," Austin told her. _Stop wasting your time, Shelby!_

"Austin, she planned this whole thing and she played us both!" Shelby exclaimed. _I have to make him see the truth_, she thought. "She stalked you for months, broke us up, and then tricked and seduced you into falling for her!" she stated. Austin stared in surprise.


	22. Parting Ways

**Parting Ways**

After Shelby's declaration, Austin looked at Sam, who had gone silent. Then, she glared at Shelby.

"Are you really that desperate to make up a ridiculous story like that?" Sam countered, glaring at the other girl.

"You know what, Shelby? This is one of the lowest things you've **ever** done. I'm going to warn you one last time: if you talk to me or even look in my direction, we're going to have problems. So, just leave me alone, **forever!** Shelby's mouth dropped in surprise. _I can't believe he just yelled at me_, she thought. The boy was usually a very mellow person who never lost his temper. It was actually something that she grown to love.

"How can you talk to me that way after she's the one who stalked and tricked you?" she demanded, pointing at Sam. No one seemed to notice that the other students had stopped to stare at the fight.

"I'm sorry. You're a waste of space and not worth my time. You don't exist to me," Austin responded. Shelby scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"You know you'll be crawling back to me once you get bored with that Plain Jane over there," she stated. Austin shook his head in disgust. He wasn't going to waste time arguing with her anymore. _Time to use the mute button for Shelby_, he thought. Shelby watched as Austin walked back towards Sam and the others. _I don't believe this!_ _How could he do this to me? I told him what Sam did to us and he just goes back to her? _she thought angrily. Shelby continued to watch them and cursed at him silently as he rejoined the group. Ryan let out a small laugh.

"Nicely done, bro," he praised with a smile and thumbs up. Austin exchanged a smile with Ryan and placed his arm around Sam.

"Well, Carter and I got a class to get to so we'll talk to you at lunch then?" Ryan asked. Austin nodded.

"For sure, my friends," Austin answered, giving Carter and Ryan a fist pound before they each went on their way. Astrid followed them out, but headed for the office to do the morning announcements. Austin turned to Sam and went to give her a kiss. However, she just pulled away. "Sam? Are you okay?" he asked while lifting her chin. She hesitated before answering.

"I don't know, Austin. I'm starting to think this going to be too hard to keep up. I mean, let's face it, Shelby is **never** going to stop." Austin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He couldn't believe it. They had just talked about this yesterday with them both agreeing to stick together, and now Sam wanted to give up?

"Sam, this isn't going to disappear over night. It's going to take time. I know Shelby lied about you stalking me. Is that what this is about?" _Come on, Sam. Don't give up like this_, he thought to himself.

"Trust me, I appreciate you believing me on that aspect, but she'll just come up with more stories to humiliate me." _And I can't take that. I'm sorry, Austin. But who were we kidding? This will never work_, she thought to herself.

"And I'll do the same thing I just did. No matter what she does I won't give in." Austin smiled at Sam, hoping she'd return the gesture, but it didn't take. She sighed. _Come on, Austin. Be realistic. This will never work_, she thought.

"I get enough grief at home and I just can't take it anymore at school. I'm sorry, Austin, but I don't think I can do this." As she said this, she stepped out of his embrace and backed away, resulting in him giving her a hurt look.

"What? Why?"

"I've been through a lot in my life and I'm tired of being harassed so I'm really sorry to have to end things. I just think it's for the best."

"So, what you're saying is you want to give up because things are tough?"

"No, but-"

"Just because Shelby says we shouldn't be together you're going to quit? You know this was wanted she wanted to happened, right?" Sam's eyes clouded at the question, but could only stare at him. Austin let out a defeated sigh. "Alright, fine. Have it your way. Give up on something great. See ya." With that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked away. She let out a sigh. A part of her was screaming that she was making a mistake, but another part of her told her that this was for the best. After all, what kind of relationship could they have? _I can't deal with this. I just-this is just too much_, she thought and then headed for her class. Austin messed up his hair with a hand and headed to class. His eyes clouded as what he had said to Sam came back to him. _I can't believe I said that to her_, he thought. _I meant everything I said, but I didn't want to lose her_, he thought. He turned to look back at her, but she was already gone.


	23. Broken

**Broken**

In her class, Sam blew out a breath._ I know Austin's disappointed in me, but it's for the best_, she thought to herself. Presently, she became aware that the teacher was talking to her, but she didn't even respond.

"Sam, are you alright?" the teacher finally queried. _There has to be something wrong. She's usual the one student I don't have to worry about._

"I'm sorry. I'm just-" The man waved aside the apology and moved on. Everyone had an off day, and he wasn't going to harp on Sam for having one. Sam gave him a grateful smile and forced herself to pay attention. All she had to do was continue with her classes and things would go back to normal soon enough, with Austin and Ryan forgetting all about her and Carter as Austin would most likely go back to Shelby. Sam sighed. The thought of those two getting back together hurt more than she wanted to admit, but she would just have to deal with it. She was being realistic here. And the reality was that there was no way she and Austin would survive in the real world. Austin was better off without her. The class ended and she headed for her next one.

"Sam!" a voice called. Sam froze. _Austin_, she thought. "Sam, come on. Wait up," he called again. However, she kept walking. The approaching footsteps told her that he had begun following her. She quickened her pace until she reached her next class and walked in. Austin sighed dejectedly, and then went to his own class. This routine went on for the rest of the morning, Sam would go to her classes, and Austin would try to catch up with her so that they could talk. Finally, at lunch, he was successful.

"Will you please just talk to me?" he requested, standing in front of her. The action caused the entire student body to stop and stare. _Sam? He's really wasting his time with her?_ Gabriella wondered.

"There's nothing to talk about, Austin. What we did was a mistake and we both know it," she answered. Austin's face twisted into an expression of pain. _A mistake? She thinks getting together was a mistake?_ he wondered. She sighed. She hadn't meant for that to come out so harsh.

"Austin…look. Don't take it the wrong way. I'm glad I got to know you and see that you're a real person, but I'm not going to put you through the same trash that I go through every day," she told him. Hearing this David cast his eyes down. No doubt she was talking about how she had been treated by him, Shelby, and the rest of the student body. _How could I have been so stupid?_ he wondered. How come he hadn't seen sooner how happy Sam made Austin? However, before Austin could respond to Sam's comment, Shelby came up, kissed Austin on the cheek and then wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Look Diner Girl, he doesn't want you anymore, so just quit bothering my boyfriend," she snapped. Austin pulled away from her.

"I'm not your boyfriend, and I'm trying to salvage things with a great girl, so quit bothering me," he snapped.

"See? This is **exactly** what I **didn't** want to happen," Sam told him, "Goodbye, Austin," she said, and headed for the lunch line. To her surprise, Ryan intercepted her.  
"Sam, don't do this, Girl. Walking away from him is going to be the stupidest thing you've ever done," he warned.

"Ryan, just forget it. I'm Diner Girl, and that's all I'm ever going to be in this school," she answered with a sad smile. Then, she passed him and got into the line.

"With that attitude you will be," he shouted after her. Ryan looked at her in confusion as she ignored his comment. _ What's up with Sam? _ he wondered. David stared at Austin's stricken look and felt his stomach drop. He had never seen his friend so devastated._ Man, what do I do? I've got to get Sam to change her mind_, he thought to himself. As Sam headed for a table, Austin had no choice but to get his own lunch and head for another table. If she didn't want to talk, he wasn't going to force her. _Man, why is she doing this? I didn't think she'd give up like this_, he thought. Carter and Astrid joined Sam at a table.

"Sam, are you crazy? What do you think you're doing?" Astrid demanded.

"It's just better for everyone involved. I mean, let's face it, Austin and I would never make it," Sam replied.

"Well, not with **that** attitude," Carter responded. Sam didn't answer, but focused on her lunch, effectively ending the conversation. That's the 2nd time I've heard that in the last five minutes, Sam thought. Carter and Astrid shared a look. Obviously, they would have to do something to get their friend to change her mind. But what? How could they make her see that what she was doing was a big mistake? Sam just continued to eat her lunch in silence. When she was finished with her meal, she headed for her next class, where she diligently took notes. When classes were finally over, she headed home. As she entered the kitchen, she was surprised to see a package. She walked over to it and she broke out into a grin. It was from Princeton!_ Wow. I hope I got in_, she thought to herself. She had worked so hard. Excitedly, she opened the letter.

_**Dear Ms. Sam Montgomery, we regret to inform you… **_

Sam's mouth dropped. I didn't get in? _I don't believe this_, she thought. Her throat muscles constricted. She didn't get in. She let out a scoff. How could she have been so stupid to think that she would actually get in?

"Sam? What are you doing just standing around here? Get to your shift," she heard Fiona snap.

"Fine," she sighed, trying to hold back her tears. She then went back to the driveway, got into her car, and headed for the diner, not even noticing when Fiona stared at the letter and let a smirk appear on her features. At the diner, Sam put on her uniform and then started in on the customers. Thankfully, it was just mostly the regulars who had known her since she was a little girl, so there were no problems. Presently, the door opened and Sam watched in shock as the boy walked in. _What's he doing here? Did Shelby send him? _She wondered. Everyone watched as he approached her. David became shaky as he approached Sam.

"Sam," he greeted. For a long moment, the girl just stared. _Damn, she's already glaring at me..._

"David," she finally uttered.


	24. Ain't No Perfect World

**Ain't No Perfect World**

_Wow, I can't believe I actually called her by her real name_, he thought. David frowned, unsure of how to continue. He was used to cracking jokes about her bringing him a breakfast burrito, but after watching her reject Austin he knew what he had to do-make her see that she and Austin belonged together. But, where would he begin? After tormenting her for the past three years, he wasn't sure if he knew how to be civil to her.  
"David, what do you want?" she asked sternly. _I've had a bad enough day already_, she thought. Nothing had gone right for her, especially in the last forty-eight hours.

"I just came down to talk to you, that's all," David replied awkwardly. _Man, I really have my work cut out for me_, he thought to himself.

"What for?" Sam scoffed. "Did you come down here to mock me like you and  
The Three Stooges always do?" The other staff and patrons turned to look at them. "I really don't know what I ever did to you guys. Just because I work in a diner doesn't make me less of a person," she pointed out with a glare.

"Now, how do you know I wasn't coming here to apologize for how I've treated you over the past few years?" David asked, glaring back at her. _Not that I blame her for being suspicious. I've never given her a reason to trust me_, he thought.

"Yeah, right. I bet Shelby told you to come down here to hassle me so she can focus on getting Austin back," Sam replied, shaking her head in disgust. _Really, does he think I'm stupid? _she thought to herself.

"You know what? You have a real attitude problem. And you wonder why no one at school ever talked to you?" David commented with a condescending laugh. "Maybe, I was better off not coming down here."

"Then why did you?"

"What do you care? You don't even want to talk to him anymore." At Sam's hurt look, David sighed and forced himself to calm down. This wasn't going the way he planned. He had to stop before he said something he'd end up regretting. "Look, I seriously don't want to fight with you. I know you may not believe me, but I'm really trying to be sincere this time," he said with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Okay, I'm listening," she told him.

"Look, I came down to convince you to get back together with Austin-" David was cut off before he could finish.

"What is with everyone today?" Sam shouted. "Can't people just mind their own business? I don't like it anymore then he does, but it's just too hard."

"I know you don't mean that," David said, giving her a confident smile.

"How would you know? You don't even know me."

"Okay, fair enough. But, I've been bullying since you were a freshmen, right?" Sam nodded in confusion. What did **that** have to do with anything?

"Um yeah?" she replied, squinting at him. _What's he getting at?_ she wondered.

"If you were able to handle me all of these years, then nothing's too hard." Sam couldn't help but laugh. He had her there.

"That's a pretty good way of looking at," she commented. "Listen, David, I really didn't mean to blow up at you. It's just been a bad day for me. I really appreciate you coming down here, but Austin and I come from different worlds."

"Haven't you ever heard the term opposites attract?" Sam nodded, once again surprised at his insight.

"I certainly have. Who hasn't? You know you're okay when you're not making my life a living nightmare," Sam stated with a chuckle.

"I'll admit, you're not too bad yourself and I'm really sorry for how I've treated you. It just wasn't right," David responded. _Man, how come I was so stupid?_ he wondered.

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Sam told him. David smiled.

"Good. But back to Austin. It would mean a lot to him if you two could get back together. He's been my best friend since kindergarten and I've never seen him this upset before, ever. The last few days he wouldn't even talk to Ryan and me." Sam's eyes clouded with sadness and she lowered her head as David continued. "I hate seeing him like this and I'd do anything for him to be happy." Sam looked back up at David.

"Trust me, I really like him. I've never had a guy care about me like Austin has since my dad," she told him.

"Then why did you dump him?" he wondered, throwing his arms in the air. _You dump a guy you like? Even I know that doesn't make sense_, he thought.

"I don't know. It's been a long time since I've been truly happy and I suppose when I panicked when I realized how happy he made me." David nodded.

"A word of advice, you need to act fast if you decide to give it another go. He won't wait around for you forever, you know." Sam bit her lip and nodded. "Just understand this world isn't perfect. Bad things are going to happen whether you like it or not. Life isn't about a fairy tale, but that doesn't mean you can't be happy." Sam's eyes lit up. _David's right! I can be happy, even without Princeton,_ Sam thought. "Alright, I better go. Just think about what I said, alright?"

"Okay, thanks, David." David smiled and walked out of the diner just as a customer spilled their food, letting out a cry of surprise. Sam just smiled, shook her head, and began mopping up the mess. Meanwhile, Austin was driving around town, moaning over his situation. After stopping for a red light, he looked over and was surprised to find himself by the diner. He sighed as he saw Sam mopping up the floor and talking to the customers. _There's gotta be something I can do to get her back,_ he thought. Unaware that the red light had turned green, he continued staring. His depression deepen the longer he gazed. To want something so bad and not be able to have it was very bitter. _I'd give up anything to have her back!_ _Even my dream. Besides writing, Sam's the only thing I've got that's made sense,_ he thought. The sound of various horns honking broke through his thoughts

"Move outta the way, buddy!" A man shouted from behind Austin. The boy quickly put the car in drive and sped off in disappointment. Hearing the sound of an engine revving outside, Sam looked out the window but was too late to see who it had been. Then, as she continued mopping, Fiona and her step-sisters stormed in to the diner.

"Sam, you forgot to do my book report!" Brianna yelled. _I don't believe her! We are so good to her, and this is how she repays us?_ she thought. How could Sam be so ungrateful to them?

"And you also forgot mine," Gabriella added. _Why is she being such a brat when we've been nothing but kind to her?_ she wondered.

"Looks like you get to scrub the pool with a toothbrush tomorrow morning for being so selfish," Fiona chimed in. _Honestly! Doesn't she realize what a big favor we're doing by keeping her around?_ the woman thought to herself. Sam rolled her eyes. _They are driving me nuts,_ she thought to herself. Remembering what David said she made her decision._ Alright, I've had enough of this garbage!_ She thought.

"No!" Fiona quickly turned around as Gabriella and Brianna stared at their stepsister with dropped jaws.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me. I quit!"


	25. Taking A Stand

**Taking A Stand**

"I quit this job. I quit your family. And I'm moving out." Rhonda had just come from the kitchen and was shocked to hear those words from Sam's mouth. For a moment, Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna stared at her. Then, they laughed.

"And where would you live?" Fiona asked smugly. _Without this job she has no money and no one would ever take her in_, she thought.

"With **me**," Rhonda answered, stepping forward to stand beside the girl. "And let me tell you something, the only reason I-or any of us-have stuck around for so long is because of this girl right here," Rhonda continued, wrapping Sam in a half hug. The trio laughed again. _Right. Like Sam's worth anyone's time,_ Gabriella scoffed to herself. "I quit too," the woman continued. Fiona gave Rhonda a condescending look.

"Well, don't expect any help from me when you can't get anything employment...sistah," she said, ending in a bad "black" voice.

"Oh, it is on now," Rhonda stated, as she began to take off her earrings. Fiona shrieked and pushed Gabriella and Brianna in front of her.

"Rhonda, calm down," Eleanor said.

"Why? She already quit. It's not like she can fire her," Bobby responded. _Besides,_ _I want to see her kick her butt_, he thought to himself.

"Don't hit me! Hit the girls! Their faces are much newer! Go for the girls!" Fiona exclaimed.

"Mom!" Gabriella and Briana cried in surprised unison.

"Rhonda, she's not even worth it," Sam told the woman. "Come on. Let's just go," she sighed. With that, the two headed out.

"Well, I quit too," Eleanor stated. Fiona, Gabriella, and Brianna watched as one-by-one, the staff declared that they quit and walked out the door.

"Well…" Fiona's voice trailed off in surprise._ I can't believe they all did this. What did Sam do? Bribe them or something?_ she wondered. _I can't believe Sam would do this to us after the way we've helped her,_ Gabriella thought. Rhonda drove Sam back to the house, where the girl packed up her belongings, and then they headed to Rhonda's house, where she put her suitcase on the floor and her cell phone on the nightstand beside the bed.

"Oh, I don't believe this," Sam sighed, flopping down on the bed. "I feel like I can finally breathe. Like I'm at home," she commented.

"Compared to the Addams Family, I'm sure," Rhonda said, and the girl chuckled. _Wow. I guess today didn't end so badly after all,_ she thought. Rhonda looked at the girl in concern. Something was wrong. She could tell. "Sam, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I didn't get into Princeton and I broke up with Austin," the girl answered.

"WHAT?" the woman exclaimed. "What do you mean you didn't get in? And why would you break up with the boy? I thought you liked him," she said.  
"I do," the girl replied. "I was thinking that we'd never make it in the real world. I mean, he was already getting so much flack for dating me. It wasn't fair to him," she continued.

"Sam-" the woman started to say.

"But a friend of his made me see that if I want something, I have to be willing to fight for it," she interjected. _Now I just have to see if he'll still even talk to me,_ she thought to herself. Rhonda rolled her eyes. _Teens. Sometimes I don't know what to do with them,_ she thought to herself. However, since it sounded like Sam was planning on taking care of the Austin issue, she moved on to something else.

"Now, what's this about Princeton? How could you have not gotten in?" she wondered. The girl shrugged.

"I don't know. The letter didn't say. Maybe I just didn't have enough extracurricular activities or something," she answered.

"Honey, I'm so sorry," Rhonda said with a sympathetic hug.

"It's okay," she answered. "You know what? I'm just gonna go for a drive, clear my head...see if I can find Austin," she decided.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." With that, Sam sat up, grabbed her cell phone, walked out the door, got into her car, and began driving around. She hated to admit it, but it hurt somewhat to know that all of her efforts to get into Princeton had failed. _Maybe, I should've graduated two years early instead one,_ she joked with herself.

Biting her lip, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and started dialing Austin's number, which she had saved when he had called her to pick her up for the school dance. _Hopefully Austin will talk to me and won't mind helping me figure out what to do since I didn't get into Princeton,_ she thought to herself. What she didn't know was that Austin hadn't gone home and was still driving around town. His cell phone went off.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hi, Austin," she greeted nervously.

"Sam!" Austin exclaimed happily. _I can't believe she actually called me,_ he thought.

"Listen, Austin, can we meet? But not at the diner, since I don't think I'm welcome there anymore," Sam requested.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Austin replied. _What happened at the diner? What did Fiona do now?_ he wondered. "How 'bout the Burger King in town?"

"Yeah, that'll work." They each hung up and drove towards the destination. Sam got there first, parked her Mustang, and then went in and got a table. She only had to wait a few minutes until he showed up. _Well, he doesn't __**look**__ mad,_ she thought. _Whoa. She looks gorgeous, _Austin thought to himself. He sat down at the table in the seat across from her.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I was stupid. I got scared and I shouldn't have," she answered. He sighed.

"Why? Why'd you get scared?"  
"I guess-you remember how I said at _Pierre's_ that I had trained myself not to get my hopes up?"

"Yeah?"

"Well…I-I guess-some part of me was afraid that it would all come crashing down and that it'd be better for me to break it off than to let myself get disappointed." Austin shook his head.

"Sam."

"I know it was stupid. And…I don't expect you to forgive me. But…I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." She looked down at the table. _I know he probably won't forgive me for hurting him, but at least I explained myself,_ she thought. _I don't believe this. All because she was scared?_ he thought to himself Austin sighed and stood up, causing Sam to look up at him. _He's going to leave…not that I blame him,_ she thought.

"Hey…it's okay," he said quietly, coming over to her. Surprised, she scooted over. _I don't believe this. He's not leaving?_ she wondered. _I guess I can understand how she feels. I mean, she's been dumped on for so long, it's probably hard getting used to things being good,_ he thought to himself. "Look, Sam. Everyone gets scared. The main trick is to stick together," he continued, drawing her into a hug.

"You're right," she said. "Wow. It's a good thing I listened to David."

"David, what's he got to do with this?"

"He's the one who told me to talk to you."

"Really?" _Wow. I guess he finally came to his senses,_ Austin thought.

"Yeah." _I totally owe him,_ Sam thought. She sighed. "Now, if I could only figure out why I got rejected by Princeton," she continued. _It doesn't make sense,_ she thought to herself.

"What?" he asked. _That's unbelievable. I know I've only known Sam for a little while, but I know she's got the grades to get in,_ he thought.

"Yeah, I know, right?" she responded. "The only reason I could think of was no extracurricular activities." _Softball would've been a good one. _Austin hugged her again.

"Well, no matter what, it's all gonna be okay," he promised. Sam smiled. For once, she actually believed it. _I'm so glad we're going to work things out,_ Sam thought.


	26. Coming Together

**Coming Together**

As much as Sam hated to go back to Fiona's, she had no choice, having had forgotten a box that had some of her personal stuff under her bed in the attic. _I really wish I hadn't turned Austin down when he offered to come with me,_ Sam thought as she struggled to lift the box. It was heavier then she had expected it to be. Then, she dropped it and several items spilled out. "Oh, terrific," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. _Figures. This is just what I need,_ she thought sarcastically as she began to pick up the mess. Presently, she noticed a folder tucked inside her fairytale book. With a sigh, she leaned over and pulled the folder from the book. Curious, she opened the folder and looked at. Her brows furrowed as she skimmed it, not understanding what the document was about. However, when she read her Dad's name at the bottom of the page, it clicked.  
"Oh, my gosh. Dad's will," she whispered. _Fiona said that he had never left one. Figures she would've lied,_ she thought to herself. The biggest surprise was that the man had left everything he owned-including the house and diner-to his daughter, indicating that he hadn't trusted Fiona. It was possible the night he passed away he was about to tell her this but lost the chance after the earthquake. _Wow, I don't believe it,_ she thought, feeling happy that her father had left a will, yet angry that Fiona had known all along and hadn't said a word. Forgetting about the box, she ran to the phone and called Rhonda. Within a few hours of the phone call Rhonda was able to contact her friend at the DA's office and verify the will and call a tow truck. Sam smiled. Things were going to be okay now. Even though she hadn't gotten into Princeton, she wasn't going to let it stop her from getting a good education. But first, she needed college money. What better place to start with selling Fiona and her stepsisters'- rather her-cars to raise the money right then and there? While Rhonda alternately gave the tow truck driver instructions and talked with the DA, Sam noticed Fiona and her sisters-who were eating ice cream-storming out the front door to investigate.

"Hey! Hey! I can pay for those parking tickets," Fiona screamed. _What do they think they're doing! They can't take my cars! _she thought to herself.

"Actually, I'm selling your cars, Fiona…for college tuition money," Sam stated with a smirk. The woman's mouth dropped in shock.

"What gives you the idea that you can sell our cars?" Fiona demanded. _What a little brat. She can't get away with that,_ she thought to herself.

"She owns them," Rhonda countered.

"Exactly, I own them," Sam grinned. "In fact, I own everything," she added. Right on cue, The DA stepped in.

"I'm with District Attorney's office, is this your name Mrs. Montgomery?"

"I've never seen that before," _Fiona lied. I can't let them know that it's Hal's will. I'll lose everything,_ she thought to herself. The man nodded and grinned.

"Isn't this your signature on the witness line?" he asked, pointing to what was obviously her name.

"I've never seen my husband's hidden will before." Sam and Rhonda just scoffed. _Yeah, you just incriminated yourself,_ _Fiona,_ Sam thought to herself.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to come downtown with me Ma'am." Fiona took off running helplessly being followed by the two policemen who accompanied the attorney. Gabriella and Brianna stared in shock as their ice cream fell on the lawn. _I don't believe this. Sam gets everything? What about __**us**__? What are __**we**__ going to do?_ Gabriella wondered. _Sam can't do this to us! We're family!_ Brianna's mind screamed. After a very short foot race, Fiona was in handcuffs and placed in the back of the squad car. Then, the tow truck drove off with Fiona's car, the driver promising to return later to retrieve the two Volkswagens. Conversing, Rhonda and Sam went inside and began to clean up. As Sam started to empty a trash can in the office, she noticed a wrinkled piece of paper and froze at the words.

"Does that say what I think it says?" she mumbled, picking it up. Sure enough, the words Princeton University were at the top. She grabbed the paper and carefully opened it up. She skimmed the words and her mouth dropped and she fell into the chair. _Oh, my gosh!_ Sam screamed in her head. She had gotten in! She hadn't been rejected after all! Sam immediately grabbed her cell phone and dialed Austin's number excitedly.

"Hello?" he asked.

"I got in!" she screamed.

"Huh? What?" he asked. _What's she talking about? _he wondered.

"Princeton! The rejection letter was a fake! I got in!"

"Hey, that's great! I got in too!" As the two cheered, Sam couldn't help but smile even wider. Everything was falling in to place. She and Austin were going to Princeton, the will had been found, the diner was hers and Rhonda's, and she and Austin were officially a couple again. A few weeks later, Carter received the news that he had gotten the part for the commercial he had tried out for. When it came time for the shoot, Austin, Sam, Astrid, Ryan, and David all showed up at the mall to watch it. As the commercial ran, David looked at Sam, who gave him a small smile. The two had talked out their differences and were slowly becoming friends. When Carter was done, everyone clapped and Shelby pushed her way past the crowd.

"Wow, Carter! That was soooo great! You are **so** incredibly talented," she raved, wrapping him in a hug. For an answer, Carter just disentangled himself from the embrace and turned to Astrid.

"Great job, baby," she told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, let's go, man," Ryan said. With that, they all walked out, leaving Shelby to stare at them in surprise. I_ don't believe this! I'm everything he ever wanted! How could he reject me?_ she thought. As they headed for the bus stop, they all talked and laughed.

"So, Bro, how'd your dad take you getting into Princeton?" Ryan wondered.

"Well, he finally got off of his Trojan horse about me going to USC and he's behind my decision to be a writer," Austin responded.

"Awesome," Sam approved. The two shared a quick kiss, causing their friends to roll their eyes.

"Okay, Austin's majoring in English, no surprise there, but what about you, Sam?" Astrid wondered.

"I don't know yet," Sam replied. "But after the year I've had, figuring that out will be a walk in the park!" They all laughed. When the bus came, they got on and headed home. A few weeks later, Sam and Austin packed their bags, put them into Sam's mustang, and then got into the car. Sam started the car, gave Austin a kiss, and then headed down the road as an oldies song blared out of the speakers.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I want to gives thanks to Ghostwriter who wrote half of these chapters and did an amazing job. Also, thank you to everyone who took the time read and enjoy this story.


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